Stripes of a Small Tiger's World
by Master Shifu
Summary: Story by Tigress. Involves past, Kung Fu Panda 1, and future-coincides with Life in the Paws of a Kung Fu Master. I own nothing but the story and my OC's: Ming Yue, Baihehua, Xiongmeng, Yingzi, Jet, and Lucy.
1. First Blood

Many stories begin with once upon a time. Mine is not one of them, for it was not once upon a time, it was once that changed my life forever. I thought I had everything, everything, at least, that a little girl could ever want. What I didn't realize was the one thing I was missing, the one thing I always longed for. No one ever had to tell me, but I knew all the same.

I slept once more to dreams so vivid, I could feel them. Many dreams may be like that, but mine were different. They could only have been memories.

_Light and noise overwhelmed me as I struggled to see with bleary eyes and muffled ears. I could taste the fear and pain in the air, even though I could hear the screams of battle. Shapes and motions blurred past me and though I had been too young to know what was happening, I knew I wasn't safe. With weary paws, I darted among the shadows, through the reeking bodies, flat as I could possibly go in my terror. The only comfort I took was a fellow companion, who raced alongside me. We flashed past trees of the forest once we had escaped, running, hearts and feet pounding, across the dappled floor. A shriek sounded behind me and I knew my companion had been taken. Before I could whirl around, ready for and attack, I tripped head over heels and into a cold wetness. Tumbling through it, I found to a vague and alarming surprise that no matter how hard I sucked, I couldn't breathe any air in. _

_ Torrents of this stuff pushed and pulled my body in a comforting motion, but still, I panicked. Sleepily, I wondered why I was dying before my mind blanked out and I gave in to the irresistible darkness._

When I woke up, my fur still felt drenched with the cold and wet, and I scrambled, shaking, to my paws. Dressing quickly, I sat on the edge of my bed, wondering for the millionth time, what had truly happened that night. Memories of this kind of stuff just shouldn't fade, and yet it had so easily slipped from my claws. It had something to do with the river. This was what I knew now.

"Yan Ge, are you awake?" my mother curiously asked from downstairs. Yes, my mother was a goose. That could not be helped. I was a tiger and obviously they were not my actual father and mother. We were family and that was what counted. Neither she nor father ever told me where I came from and what was escaping my memories that so futilely tried to reunite with older ones. This was simply because they did not know, for they had found me by the river.

What they knew, they told me, was I should never have been alive. The river carried me around the bone-crushing rocks and out of the current to wash up on shore before going over a waterfall. Even more amazing was the fact that I had been way too young to swim. Now, I could and I absolutely loved the water, another thing about me my parents didn't understand. I just felt so free. I could think. And yet, that was also where I could wipe my mind blank and escape my troubles. Mother named me Swallow Song, for I was a good singer and I don't mind saying so because it was true. Maybe that would be what I would do for a living when I was older. For now, I simply enjoyed sharing it with myself. They were very avid noodle-makers, and understood why I didn't want to continue the business, but were none too happy about it. Still, they said, as long as it made me happy. In the end, only one thing could have made me happy. There was another reason why they didn't argue. It was because of who I was.

I was always strong, stronger than anyone in my village, even though I was a kitten. The tiger part of me was some of it, but I also was just very determined. My village friends' soft paws and blunt teeth were no match against my thorn-sharp claws and hard, pointy teeth. Not that I ever fought them of course, but I was always the stronger of any of them, and that was what made them fear me so much. Eavesdropping was easy for me because I had a natural stalking ability, and when my parents thought I was asleep, they would often discuss my past, my present, and my future. I learned over the nights that the village had only barely accepted me after I was found at the river. Spurts of fury would often overcome me and though I was naturally peaceful, the anger would sometimes get the better of me. The villagers said I might turn on them, but I would never do that. Not intentionally. Still, that didn't matter to them, and as I grew older and stronger, their fear turned to hatred ad their hatred to actions that varied and mingled amongst both the adults and other children.

Maybe things would have been different if I was one of them. Maybe it wouldn't. I'll never know though, I can only regret and hate.

The morning everything changed, I hadn't been thinking particularly of anything, but another day I would try to gain a friend, and how I would inevitably fail. Answering my mother would come first though.

"Yes, I'm awake Ma." I just called her that, as I called father Pa.

"Come down here and have breakfast. Then, you can go outside to play."

"Yes Ma." Padding quickly down the stairs, I joined them for a very noodley breakfast that left me full, warm, and enthusiastic for another hopeful day.

Once I was done, I slipped quickly out the door and padded toward the village park. It was in the center of the town, so parents could keep an eye on their children. Despite being used to how I was usually greeted there, it still hurt. A few mothers called their children closer and the older ones, without their parents there, gave me dirty or frightened looks and edged farther away from me.

Glancing around for any friendly faces, I saw two rabbits that hadn't been here before. If they were new, I had a chance at getting to play with them, but that hope was quickly dashed when I saw the five surrounding them.

Nu Fu meant passion-abundant, but I secretly called her Nuo Fu, coward. She was another rabbit, and her surrounding rabbit friends made it seem like it was a rabbit paparazzi. Though I had originally tried to be friends with her, she never gave me the chance, always surrounding herself with a posse of girls and saying mean things to me. I didn't hate her, but she was cruel, and I didn't like to hang around her. Always, she tried to turn more against me and spurned me from friends. It looked like she was trying to succeed with the new rabbits and I felt a small flame of anger that she always took everything from me.

"Can I play?" I addressed the new children, but of course, it was she who answered back.

"This is V.I.C., reserved for very interesting and cool girls only," she sniffed and the others tittered. I just gritted my teeth and glanced at the new arrivals, hoping for support and to be given a chance before the Nuo Fu brainwashed them.

"She can play, can't she?" one of them uncomfortably asked, though she looked the oldest of the two. Her fur was a lighter brown than her sister and slightly taller.

"Why would we let that ruin our game?" Nuo Fu turned to her with a mixture of anger and fear.

"I wouldn't ruin the game. I don't even know how to play," I protested. Aware that I had some support, I decided to finally carry an argument with her.

"See, we don't have time to teach her anyway," Nuo Fu slyly and smoothly protested to them.

"Only because you never play with me," I growled.

"Come on, just let her try," the older one piped up, and though she seemed shy, her eyes had a kind of commanding force in them, which made even Nuo Fu back up a step, nervously.

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you," she flounced off to mutter with her little group and complain while making faces at me when they weren't looking.

"We're playing tag. One of us is it and has to touch anyone else and then they are it. You have to run away to avoid being it, but stay within the boundaries of the park. It'll be loads of fun. Don't mind Nu Fu," the older girl kindly told me.

"Yeah, don't mind her," the younger one smiled. Happily, I just nodded shyly, grateful that I could finally play in one of their games. Maybe I could even have these two as my friends too. It would be too much to hope for that Nuo Fu would ever like me.

A moment later, Nuo Fu pompously strode up to us and said, "The game is going to begin but we have to find someone to be it."

"To find out who's it, let's play rat-cat-dog," the younger girl suggested and I stared at her with momentary confusion.

"The cat beats the rat, the dog beats the cat, and the rat gives the dog fleas," the older one elaborated, but only succeeded making me more confused. Where were they?

"Honestly…just close your eyes, make the rat, cat, or dog and since both have their eyes closed, they won't know what the other's doing. After that, see what each other have. If you both have the same one, do it again," the pig snorted.

"Make a rat, cat, or dog?" I echoed again.

"I'll show you," the older rabbit quickly showed me. Holding her paw flat, she showed me the 'rat', with two fingers left and two fingers right as her paw remained upright, she showed me the ears and face of the 'cat', and with her paw sideways, she did the same thing to show me the jaws of the 'dog'. Slightly confused, I mimicked her motions and nodded to say that I understood.

"There will be four pairs and each pair will go against each other. Whoever three the losers are, come over by this tree," Nuo Fu continued.

Playing against one of the rabbits, I lost as I chose cat and she chose dog. As I left toward the tree, I nearly tripped over her outstretched paw and turned to see her smirking at me. Obviously, she'd done that on purpose.

"Kitten," she taunted me.

"Now that there's two pairs, we will do it again. The losers can do it with each other. To my surprise and relief, I noticed she was actually one of the losers and I couldn't help giving her a little smirk. At that, she glared venomously at me and turned away, but I also felt frightened for I didn't wasn't to be it. What if I accidentally hurt someone or when I caught someone, they refused to be it. What then?

Going up against the younger new sister, I saw in her eyes that she didn't want to be it. To make things easier for her, I chose dog, guessing she would choose rat. I was right and glanced over to see who my next competitor would be. I was both relieved and anxious to see it was Nuo Fu. I was relieved she was as bad as I was, but anxious that she would win.

Starting the game once more, and counting the three two one and then opening eyes, I chose rat, guessing she would think I would choose cat and therefore choose dog. A flicker of movement just caught my line of view as I opened my eyes and to my horror and fury, I saw her quickly change hers from dog to rat with a flick of her paw.

"I win," she announced, and the others smirked at me. All except the two sisters that is.

"You cheated. You changed yours," I snarled.

"Don't be ridiculous. You're just a sore loser. Anyway, you couldn't beat me at anything, she scoffed, and I hissed at her. She was such a liar and a cheater. Yet, though I could see that they obviously knew she had cheated, the others were cheering her on. The two sisters looked guilty, but with no real proof, they couldn't really help me.

"Fine, I'll be it. You still cheated though," I growled.

"Liar. Get on with it. You're holding up the game," she spat and with the others, edged away from me so as not to get caught.

Racing immediately after the closest to me, I pushed away my misgivings and gave way to excitement and glee. Feeling the wonderful stretch of running, I lunged with huge, strong leaps in a flow of motion, rather than the rabbits' quick short bounds. Though I wanted very much to go after Nuo Fu, I decided not to. She wasn't worth the effort and I really just enjoyed running for a while. Soon though, the older sister whom I very much enjoyed being friends with so far, flashed out of the corner of my eye, and I twisted on one paw, lunging with incredible speed after her.

She was very clever and her race was well-run, but I managed to catch hold of her running pattern. When she was running slower, she'd burst into a spurt of speed as I closed in, and in this way, saving energy. Mostly, she expected me to go fastest when she slowed down. To confuse her, I slowed down when she did, sped around her, and as she doubled back, leapt. I didn't mean to. It was just what happened in the excitement of the chase, though I was at fault. As I tried to catch her with an outstretched paw, I saw too late that I was missing. Without really thinking about it, I outstretched my claws, but my triumph turned to horror as she gave a tiny shriek of surprise and pain.

Landing on all fours, I stood up slowly and glanced dazedly at my paw. Dark red blood painted the rips of my claws and I gazed over to see her sitting on the ground, holding one arm that slowly trickled blood from four deep scratches.

When she looked at me, I saw with mild surprise that she was not angry at me, only surprised, a little frightened, and in pain. Her sister looked worried, but not too mad, and yet, my heart sank as I glanced at the others, who stared at me with horror-stricken eyes. Nuo Fu's surprise and fear turned to raging triumph and she proclaimed, "See, I knew this would happen!"

"Know? How would you know? If you knew, you would have prevented it. No, you didn't know because it was an accident. Stop picking on her," The forceful words came from the girl I'd injured and I was surprised to hear that coming from her.

"How do you know she didn't do it on purpose? She probably meant for this to happen," she snapped back and turned on me for the rebuke from the girl and gleeful to finally have something to actually blame me for.

"You're just a vicious animal. No wonder your parent left you! They wouldn't have wanted a heartless monster like you!" Her cold words shocked my recovering spirit and a cold fury came over me. At that moment, I could think nothing about the consequences as a red haze descended over my mind. With a roar of pure anger, ignoring the already frightened passerby of the park, I leapt at her. Though she tried to cover her face with a squeal of alarm and an upraised paw, I felt a grim satisfaction at her cowardice and helplessness. Slashing my bloody claws at her arm, I ignored her howl of pain and fear, instead, raking another set of claws across her cheek, and pummeling her stomach with a few quick, and strongest of my blows. Doubled up, she didn't even see me as I slammed a paw into her cheek and leapt upon her falling, flailing, weak, body, slashing her chest, her arms, her sneering face set within my mind.

Stop!" someone called, and I finally stopped. I hadn't realized that she was no longer moving below me. Staring down into the face that once mocked me, a ruined, bloody face, I saw she was barely breathing me, but in her hatred, she managed to whisper, "Monster."

Furious at the dying thing once more, I slashed my claws in a final flick across her throat.

The salty, rusty tang of blood filled the air, and it spurted across the grass as she died with an odd rattle in her last breath. The rage left me again and I looked at what I'd done.

"No…" I backed away from her. I had never meant to kill her. Really. Running for home, I passed the screaming people. My naivety lead me to believe would be safe if I was inside my house, safe from the accusing and frightened glares, safe from the horrible truth that I had killed a girl and some part of me had enjoyed it. Dashing into my house, past my parents in the kitchen, I fled to the bathroom and locked myself in, leaving a trail of bloody claw prints in my path.

Moments that may have been minutes or hours passed before my parents came up. In the distance beyond my thoughts, I had realized the angry villagers had come for me and my parents were coming upstairs to hand me over. I was sure that they didn't want to, but that didn't matter, for thought they could always say they would protect me forever, there were some things that just couldn't be helped. Stiff with terror, I gazed at the door as if I could somehow erase what I had done and when I opened the door, my parents would welcome me with hugs and I would never return to the park again. Still, wishes are for the hopeless. Opening the door, I resigned myself to the most probable banishment I would receive for the murder I'd committed.

I had wished for the lovely faces of my parent's. I wouldn't have minded if they had been hatred instead of forgiveness. How could I deserve such a privilege after this act. Instead, I had come face to face with a crowd of angry townspeople, demanding that debt be paid for this slaughter, attacking me, verbally and physically. It was all I could do not to shut the door again and go back to pretending that nobody was here.

"Monster!" That became the word I most loathed that day, repeating in my head though I knew I wasn't. My temper had slipped for a few minutes, and though what I did was wrong, I never meant for it to happen…The furious townspeople had dragged me to the town center, despite my parents' pleas to stop this. With only two against nearly two hundred, they never had a chance. I suppose you could say I had a trial after that, but that wouldn't be the right word to use, because I had no say in the matter, literally. Every time I tried to speak or defend myself, I was overruled by the protesting mob and the blood coagulating on my claws and clothes, stains of my sin.

"She murdered my daughter!"

"She'll do it again!"

"Not she, it!"

"…punished…"

"…death…"

Words flew through my head, but I didn't bother to make sense of the roaring loudness. I would be forced to leave the village I'd grown up in, known, loved. How could I? This was all I'd ever known and my parents…they were so nice to me. Even now, despite what I had done, they still shouted for my release. I was just a child, they said. In a way, I was not. I had somehow become more than that and I would always be more than that. I had killed and enjoyed it, and for that, I was no longer an innocent little girl.

So, I let them drag me away despite the crying of my helpless parents. I let them lock me up, inside a building of stone, to rot away. I let them with lead in my heart because I knew I had deserved it. Curled up, I became unaware of time. Alone in this rotting place to spend an eternity, time didn't matter.

"Yan Ge?" I looked up at the voice, into my tearstained mother's face. I couldn't keep my gaze too long though, afraid of what I might see. Her disappointment that her daughter was a killer? Hate? Disgust? The fear I had seen most of my life, carefully hidden when my incredible strength broke through a wall, or my bed when I was upset?

"Look at me darling, please." Holding back the longing to sob and scream that it wasn't my fault, that I just wanted everything to go back to normal, I looked. She was still fearful, but sad, incredibly sad. I couldn't bear it.

"Mama, I didn't mean to," I whispered.

"But you did it. It was wrong and-and-I-my little girl, I am sorry it has to end this way," she sighed, and her choked back tears of renewed hatred and pain made me anxious. Something was wrong here, something I hadn't expected.

"You can always come and visit me," I smiled. It would be a very lonely time, but I knew she and pa would make things better. Didn't they always.

"My sweet, you're not staying here forever," her surprise at my reaction made me too surprised and I wondered what on earth was going on. They wouldn't let me free, that was for sure.

"If they drive me out of the village, I'll always come back to visit you. No matter what. I'll be alright," I tried to placate her. This was true. I would, even if it was punishable, I would come back.

"Your father thought you knew. I did too and now I must live with what I tell you next," her voice quavered and she looked down.

"What?" I mewed quietly.

"Sweetie, always, please, try to remember that your father and I tried to help you. We always did and always will love you," she sighed, "and yet, we can't help you anymore. For this, we are sorry."

"I don't need help ma, I'll be strong. You know I can. Just tell me what's making you so sad. If I can help you, I will. Forever," I nuzzled up to her affectionately. If they didn't let her come again to see me, I would just break out.

Looking up finally, her sad eyes rested on me, as if searching for some forgiveness to something I didn't know, "Nothing lasts forever my darling, and this will always be a place where injustice has been committed. If only I could stop it, forever might keep us together."

The creaking of the bolts in the door made me look to see father, and though his face was grim, I couldn't help being relieved to see him. They exchanged looks and mother backed away so father could come closer.

"What is happening pa? What have they decided? Will they banish me?" I couldn't help blurting out to him. Mother tried to comfort me, but I needed to know the truth.

Mother left the room in silent tears and dad looked me straight in the eyes, "They're going to kill you."


	2. Wolf

What? I'm going to die. It was all an accident, a mistake. I'm going to die. Maybe I deserve this.

"I'm sorry. They will come for you at sunset," my father left with the bad new delivered, though I couldn't blame him. How could a father talk with a daughter when she was going to be murdered and there was nothing he could do about it? Alone in my thoughts, I sat down in a corner, my head buried into my arms. Originally, I might have agreed that this was meant to happen and I shouldn't live, knowing I had murdered someone and gotten away with it. Now, I knew what was done was done and allowing myself to die wouldn't truly fix anyone's problems. I had made my decision and no consequence could stop me, for if I was dead, I could no longer hurt anyway. I would have to escape. Once I started thinking more about this decision, I realized that the sun was already in the middle of the sky and I only had several hours to figure this out.

Naturally, I knew my parents could not come with me. There might have been an escape route out of here, but they would not help me and they would be safe within this village, for they had done nothing wrong. Though it pained me to leave my life behind, it wasn't like I had any other options, and maybe I could find a new life, a better life that didn't have such fear of me, always trailing behind like an extra tail, just waiting for someone to step on. Examining the place I was held captive in more closely, I noticed that most of it was made with solid material that seemed much too hard for anyone to break through. The door was wooden, but I could hear the hushed murmuring of the guards standing in front of it, and I knew that would not be my exit. I couldn't murder another person, especially one I didn't know, who had their whole life ahead of them… I was strong enough to, I knew, if it was a true enemy, but not if it was some scared peasant of this town. Though I knew it was futile, I punched the wall as hard as I could.

Even though I was a very strong tiger, I knew this would probably happen. My paw hurt and the wall remained standing, without a single crack. The floor was hard packed dirt, but I couldn't dig through that. Even the villagers were smart enough to know that. None of them could do it without something to dig with and though I had claws, my claws would break before I could dig a hold, much less a big enough one for me to escape. I didn't have much time though, and so, with a final effort, I scooped at the hard dirt with a strong, punching fist. Do my surprise, a small pawful of dirt actually came away. It wasn't much, but I might have just enough time to make a tunnel and get away. So, bracing my hind legs and clenching my paws to fists, I hacked at the earth. Hours must have passed and my whole body ached as I pounded away toward freedom. I had gotten a shallow hole through to the other side, but it still didn't seem big enough. Only my head could fit through…

Shoving through again, I realized maybe that was enough. Relaxing my shoulder blades and my spine, I pulled forward with my front claws and shoved out with my hind claws. Yes! Tunneling out had been hard work, but I was out. Staring, I looked at the wall around the village and finally wondered, now what? If my parents couldn't come with me, where would I live? I needed someone to help me, but after what I'd done, how could any of that be possible? The sun was beginning to set and I noticed most of the villagers still arguing in front of the place where I had just escaped from. I wouldn't have time to dig under the village wall and it was made specifically so nobody could jump it, to invade. The village gates had metal bars on it to block the thick wooden door in case there was an invasion, but at the moment, they were open. I sourly guessed that they didn't want to shed any of my blood in their precious town. I was remorseful for what I had done, but anger was slowly filling up inside of me.

They had always hated me, every single last one of them. Nobody had even given me a chance to explain. It probably wouldn't have made a difference, but they never gave me the choice. I didn't care that they were standing in front of my way to freedom. With a snarl of rage, I raced towards them, zigzagging amongst their surprised faces and leaping over their terrified eyes, to land and bound from the gate, escaping their furious voices. They chased me, but I expected it and I relished it. Who did they think they were up against? That village was so paranoid, so safe, that they were all soft, malicious, but soft nonetheless. Stretching my legs, I ran like the wind, with the wind, as the wind. Streaking past the clutching trees, over the streams and across the forest floor, I felt my mind's worries dissolve, feet pounding in rhythm, the ache of my digging fleeing. Their voices drowned into the distance and I was no longer followed by their heavy breathing and lumbering footsteps. Slowing to a halt, hardly even panting, I glanced around. The other villages were quite close, but I didn't want to go by civilization right now. I was tired, hungry, thirsty, and lonely, but I doubted the village would let y escape go that easily. I needed to move on before they spread the news that a murderer had escaped and was roaming free.

The day was okay, because I could find berries to cut the edge off my hunger and a stream to drink from and wash my clothes. When it turned to night though, everything changed. The darkness frightened me and though I could see pretty good, the noises of the forest frightened me, along with the searching of the villages. I tried to avoid detection, to stay awake in this frightening place, alone, but I was a young female alone and a perfect target for bandits and throat-slitters. The night wore on and I eventually came to what seemed like an edge of the forest. When the sun rose, I couldn't help falling asleep, despite my rumbling stomach and the chilling air's bite. By the time I awoke, it was darkening again and my eyes caught a little figure moving. Putting a paw to my shirt pocket, I realized the little pin I had always kept since being washed up from the river was gone. That was the only thing that could help me find my past! Racing after the smell figure, I caught up with him and lunged on silent paws. Bringing him down, I looked closer at the little robber I'd terrified into silence.

It was a little puppy, a pale white puppy with silver tipped fur. Though I had originally growled at the threat, I realized he was not a threat, and quickly backed off of him, though he continued to crouch submissively. He might have tried to rob me, but I don't think he had much of a choice, for when I pinned him down, I had felt all his skinny ribs. Now that I could fully see him, his fur was dirty and he was scrawny, rather than the round fuzzy wolf pups I'd seen once or twice when visiting the village with their parents. He was probably a lot hungrier than I was and I wandered why he, like me, was all alone in this dark place.

Several moments of silence passed before he whispered, "Please don't hurt me. You can have your pin back." He pulled it out of a raggedy pair of pants, the only thing he was wearing, and nudged it over to me, but was clearly too frightened to get any closer.

"I won't hurt you," I spoke to him in what I hoped was a soft and reassuring tone, pulling my claws back in and forcing myself to look relaxed. "What are you doing all alone? Don't you have a home?" I couldn't help asking him.

His ears flopped slightly as he shook his head back and forth, "No. They're all gone." He looked years younger than me and I wasn't sure if he even knew what I was, but there was an intelligence in his eyes that made it perfectly clear he saw and understood everything. His village must have been wiped out or killed by disease. The world was a harsh place and he had learned that in the worst way.

"I'm alone too. What's your name?" I continued, not wanting to reveal myself as an escape murderer when I had no idea what happened to his village and he was already terrified of me anyway. This appeared to be too much for him and he just curled into a miserable ball and shuddered in his fur. Part of me wanted to leave this little thing alone and continue on my way. I was hungry myself, and I had what I wanted. Still, he was in a pretty similar situation and I had no doubt that he would not survive long alone. Fall was coming quickly and he would never live to see the end of winter. "Can you stay here a couple hours?" I asked. His muzzle and face was buried under his thin paws and though he still had soft, fluffy puppy fur, the lack of anything covering his bones made him very cold and his tail was wrapped tightly to his body. There was a tiny nod from his flopped ears and I quickly sped off for one of the villages. It seemed far enough away that I would be safe from those pursuing me, especially as none of them were as fast, but I had to be careful.

When I got to one of the closer ones, I saw it was mostly dark and some of the restaurants were beginning to close. I searched my pockets, but remembered I had no money, and went to the closest one, that had an old goose working there. He looked like he might help me. Calmly, I waited for him to turn around, and when he did, he nearly jumped in surprise.

"Who are you? I ne'er seen you rounds here b'fore," he said. He talked funny…

"My parents are gone and my brother is in the woods. He's too weak to come and we're very hungry. I'm sorry we don't have any money, but we need help," I told part of the truth and some lie, but it was necessary for this.

"Is he hurt or sick? I could get the oph'nage to take care of yous two," he sympathetically said. I tried not to show my growing alarm. They'd certainly discover me there. But maybe, if I led the old man to the little wolf pup, I could at least save him from a winter's death.

"He's out in the forest. I can bring you to him," I offered. The old men nodded and fallowed me, and I had to slow down to match his pace. I knew the way there, but there was no mistaking that he was gone.

"Where is he?" he asked, but I disappeared. I felt bad for leaving the old man in the darkening forest alone without a word, but he knew the way back and I felt an urge to find the cub. Even he had left me in fear; I didn't want him to die alone. After the goose, grumbling angrily, left, I scented the place more thoroughly. I could smell leopard and my eyes opened wide in surprise at the faint scent of wolf blood. Someone had stolen him and I knew I had to get him back. It was dark and I was sleepier and hungrier than ever, but this new threat awakened my energy and anger.

I fallowed the trail until I morning, but I was so tired, and I couldn't help falling asleep once or twice. Awakening, furious at myself, I would push harder, run faster, until I knew I was close to the place. On a rise above the little camp, I sat, watching in the morning dark. The smell of a sort of stew wafted up towards me and my mouth watered and belly grumbled, but I didn't go any closer. Whoever had kidnapped the little wolf was not a friend. To my amazement though, I saw three leopards sitting around the fire and one of them brought a bowl of soup over to the little cub. At first, I was confused, wondering if maybe they did intend to help him and he had gone on his own free will. The soup had berries and roots, in a sweet-smelling broth.

Creeping closer, I saw he was terrified, though when the leopard set the bowl down, he lapped desperately, sides heaving, ears flattened and tail tucked. One of his hind legs was tied tight to a tree with something I couldn't see and blood dripped from his scruff where I guessed they must have carried him violently through the forest. When he finished the first bowl, she brought him a second, and though he watched them wearily, aware of his strange audience, the warmth and fullness must have put him to sleep. The others had some soup, but they looked very unsatisfied and I crawled just a little closer. One was female and the other two were males, one with an angry voice and another with a high one.

"I'm hungry," the small, whiny one complained.

"Patience. You'll get your share of wolf meat soon," the bigger one growled and I stifled a hiss of terror and anger. They were going to eat him!

"Don't forget. I found him, so I get the biggest share," the female hissed and I glared at her with disgust. What were they thinking, eating another creature? They were clearly not that starving if they could make soup like that. "It will take a few days to fatten him up. Are you sure nobody knows about him?" the bigger male growled worriedly.

"Of course I'm sure! He's tiny, thin, alone…no one will miss him," she snarled back.

"I would," I whispered silently. When they slept, I would take him back with me and make sure not to lose him again. Hours passed and I waited impatiently for the darkness to fall. I knew they could probably see in the dark as well as I could, but the hunters would not expect to be hunted in their advantage time. Besides, there weren't a lot of cannibals around here, I hoped. If I could get him free, no, when I could, I wondered if I would just live with him out here or what. I hardly could find anything to feed myself, much less a starving cub. Maybe an orphanage would be a good place for him. I would be found and brought back home to die if anyone recognized me, so I could not go with him. My original parents might know the answers to my memories though, so maybe I should try to find them somehow, not that I had the least clue as to where they were, much less who they were.

Under the moonlight, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the beautiful pin from my past and struggled to read the tiny symbols carved into the petals of a blossom smaller than one of the pads on my fingers. The words were much too small and crushed together though… Unsheathing my claws, I wiped one daintily across the engraved symbols and found it had just deep enough dips that I could trace it out and find the words. They didn't make sense to me, being more of a sentence than anything, and I had no idea how to connect it to my home. Right now, there was nothing I could do to get back safely to either of my homes.

"Hello," I froze at the sound of one of the female leopards as the other males looked up expectantly. Her bright eyes searched for my hiding place and I froze where I was, ashamed of myself. How could I have let myself off guard like that. I was way too far out in the open to hide and it didn't matter now, because she had just spotted me.

"Another snack!" the younger male looked delighted and to my horror, started closer. The larger male looked just as hungry, but a cold glance from the female stopped them in their tracks.

"Fools! Don't let her get away now," the female shot towards me, but instead of a strategic attack that I had certainly been expecting, she launched herself immediately at my neck. Rearing back, I hurled myself at her shoulders and clung desperately as we began rolling back down the slope. The males scrambled out of the way as we flipped across the clearing, successfully waking up the sleeping puppy, who seeming to realize he was in trouble, struggled more desperately to break free of his restraint. That wasn't working for him and to my surprise; he seemed to refuse to gnaw on it. Struggling to keep my claws imbedded in her shoulders and hind legs scrabbling to force back her snapping jaws from my throat, I managed to catch a tiny glimpse of his restraint and I nearly let go and puked when I saw it was the dried tendon of some unfortunate victim, interwoven by threads made from skin. A yank suddenly wrenched me away from her and I snarled at the small male who had his teeth embedded in my shirt. Immediately he dropped me, but then proceeded by trying to bite me. Rocking forward as if attempting to land on my paws, I slammed a mighty kick with my hind legs, catching just below his lower jaw, sinking my sharp claws in quickly, and thrusting him away. His pained screech that was cut off and dying to a groan diminished rapidly as he splayed out in the dust. Surprised, I batted the female away with a quick, hard shove in the face and glanced toward the fallen male. Holes in his throat ended in shreds and blood gushed down his throat. Beside the little cub, he bled out, writhing on the ground with terrified eyes. The little pup was simply staring at the dying feline in front of him, but to my disgust, fury, and guilt, the other male wasted no time in pouncing on his fallen companion.

Shuddering, I backed slightly away. I hadn't meant to do that either and now the larger one was eating him. This was disgusting… They were hungry, I was sure of it and I sympathized with my own hunger, but they had some joy in the killing and eating of these others. To do that to someone he knew… The poor cub who had the unfortunate experience of being a couple feet away from one leopard devouring the dying one began to scream in a high pitched yowling wail of pure fear. The male flinched and turned on him with an angry snarl, spraying his upturned muzzle with blood. The scent and slight whimper told me the cub had relieved himself.

"Thank you for the extra meal," the female purred to me, and I stared in absolute fury at her. She wasn't even angry or remorseful, but glad to see another killing. Backing slowly away from me, she slashed the larger male on the shoulder with unsheathed claws and shoved in to devour the remains of the leopard. As the two fed, I quietly edged around them and pulled as hard as I could, eventually snapping the restraint on the cub and nudging him away. I decided I would only kill from now on if I thought it was necessary to ensure my or a friend's survival.

"Where are you going?" the huge male quickly padded closer, but I took one look, and whipped around.

"Run," I ordered the pup. He ran. We both ran as fast as we could, toward the edge of the woods. It didn't take long for us to get tired. I knew I could probably go faster and longer because of the strength in my legs and arms, but the tiny hungry pup had no chance. Despite the soup, it didn't make up for all the nights he must have endured without food and he was weak and sore. The two leopards had finished their meal and were excitedly chasing us, their lust for meat not satisfied. Turning to the pup again, I ignored my heaving breath and aching muscles. Avoiding the patch of bleeding tooth marks in his scruff, I picked him up and began to run with him. I felt his tiny muscles spasm in pain, but he never complained. He knew we had to get out of here. Though they were murderers and everything about what they did was wrong, it would probably be better not to intentionally stoop to their levels if it could be helped.

A bridge loomed up in our way and I realized we had reached the end of a huge drop off and not being afraid of heights, I didn't slow when we get the bridge. That was my fist mistake. Thinking the leopards would stop, I slowed down and looked back. That was my second mistake. The two leopards barreled into me, one sinking sharp teeth into my shoulder. Snarling with pain, I bit back. There was too much motion for me to really tell where, but his scream made be bite deeper before letting go. The female dived for the pup, but I landed on top of her and swiped her with a heavy paw, bowling her off to the side of the bridge. Protectively shielding the cub with my body, I snarled at the two, but there was no need. The male was disappearing, his tail whipping off into the undergrowth. I wasn't proud that I had left the cannibal free, but there was nothing I could do about it now. The female was pulling the edge of the bridge with her falling weight and we were dangerously tipped toward her.

"I will help you if you don't kill anyone else," I offered. Her returning glare was filled with hate and humor.

"What makes you think I need help?" She disappeared from view, but the bridge didn't shake. I had a really bad feeling about this… Her angry glare peered from under the bridge, between my feet, and I was suddenly shoved forwards as the eyes disappeared again.

My next experience was of falling through the air, unaware of much. I was too shocked to even scream and simply listened to the rushing air around me. The puppy gave a frightened whimper and I glanced down at him. The air made me shiver as we fell, free, weightless through the air, falling so far… "I'm sorry," I told the cub, but he hugged me with soft warm paws and I knew he didn't blame me, but was thankful that I had rescued him. The roaring water came closer and closer and we were plunged mercilessly into the roaring water. Frightened, I paddled with one paw, hauling the gasping cub to the air.

Breathing hard, I felt the current of the water. This was unlike anything I had ever encountered and the strength of the water was beating me. The pup I held, struggling to save, was having an even more difficult time. Torrents of water was threatening to choke us and drown us, pulling us to our dark and watery grave beneath the black. No, I didn't escape my village, cannibals, and hunger to die with the pup I had rescued. My shoulder was hurting from the bite and my mind was feeling numb. The pup couldn't even talk, tiny teeth chattering with cold and scrawny, wet body pressed to me for warmth and help from the water. Rocks battered us from the sides and who knows where else, and not little smooth rocks, large boulders with rough edges that crushed my body and took my breath away. The cub squealed with weak pain as he was slammed into one and I pulled him closer, holding him and shielding him with my arms. He didn't deserve to die with me. There didn't seem to be any waterfalls, but I couldn't really tell over the noise of the waves. My muscles were battered and I couldn't think, my mind clogged. What could I do now? Pretty soon, the water was beginning to calm me, but when I looked down to the little cub, his round golden eyes were beginning to close drowsily and I faintly realized that

though I wasn't as cold, he was much smaller and skinnier and if I didn't warm him, he would die. How could I warm him in the middle of a freezing river? We could barely float. Momentarily cursing my luck, I swam as hard as I could, across the river, figuring as long as I traveled diagonally, eventually I would reach the bank, right? That was the last thought I had before the rock. After that, came another thing I was drowning in, a darkness I tried to escape if not for myself, for the pup. Surely, a second survival of raging water would be too much to expect.

It wasn't and when I woke up, I was alone once more.


	3. Cruel World

Thunder boomed overhead and the rain drenched me with stinging cold, but I hardly flinched. I don't know why it was so important to me, but I had to find the cub's body. He was surely in the water, with the weight, the frigid ice settling over him. It was already cold outside and if the pup had escaped, he would freeze on the shores of the river, with its hungry lapping sound forever in his last thoughts. Rain water drizzled from the leaves and I had no idea where I was, but I felt sore everywhere and mindlessly numb with the thoughts that without the pup, I had no one. He was scared of me, but he had learned to trust, and so I returned my affection. Maybe that had all been a mistake and I never should have gotten associated with him. Then he could be one more that didn't die because of me. I shouldn't feel bad for either of the deaths, I tell myself, but I can't help it, even if they were both accidents and they deserved it. Wandering alone through the forest, I just sank into the ground, feeling my feet push into the fallen leaves and the wind buffet my fur, almost passing through my body.

Villages were rather spread out in the place before the bridge, but now I headed into a deep valley, which seemed to have one huge village, some lush land around it, and the edges of some smaller villages just peeking through. I didn't really know what to do with my life now and though I circled between the river and the towns indecisively, I really didn't know what I would do if I found the cub again. Putting my nose to the ground, I tried to scent him out, but the dampness wasn't really helping and the only blood I could smell was mine. Depressed, I headed towards the village again. What did I care if news of my murdering traveled to that village? I had reason to live, but not good enough to be worried for my life.

"Awooooo!" a small, but clear and beautiful howl rose over the mountains and I looked up curiously. It couldn't be?

"Awooooo!" the little howl reached my ears again and I turned expectedly towards it, trying to find the direction it was coming from. Trotting back and forth along the riverbank, I stopped in the tress and listened again.

"Awooooo!" this time, the howl sounded farther away and I wanted to call wait, I'm coming, but I knew there was no use. The wolf would never hear me, for I pinpointed his voice and it was across the largest city. There were so many questions I wanted to ask, including how he got all the way over there. Then, I saw the sun and knew it was morning, so I must have been unconscious for most of the night. Mentally cursing myself, I padded towards the village. I didn't really want to go down there, among all the people, but I needed to find shelter, food, and the little friend I had barely known.

It was a much longer walk than I had originally thought and I wanted to keep going, for if I rested, I wasn't sure when I would get back up again. I knew by the time I crossed the valley, my wolf would probably be long gone, but I needed to at least try and get closer, maybe onto flatter land so he would hear my calls too. If I could howl, he would certainly hear me as well as I heard him, but I couldn't howl and that was that. Down below me, getting closer all the time, I could tell the village was bustling with movement. Noises clanged and I decided to cross the village rather than go around it. Now that I knew the cub was alive, I couldn't risk getting caught, and a tiger sneaking around a huge city might look suspicious. Trying to act like a casual traveler, I stepped inside.

Wandering about, I looked at the village in all its spectacular wonder. It was much bigger than our small one and the place was plain, but beautiful nonetheless. Trying to find and exit on the other side, I noticed my steps just took me closer to a gigantic staircase. Peering up as high as I could, I saw a tiny little house on the top….or was it a big house…I couldn't tell from down here. Maybe I did have to go around… Surely my wolf would wait for me. Backing out of the city, I tried to find a way around, but discovered it was much longer than I thought, around several other villages, through the undergrowth, across the river again, and until I maybe found him again. Even though I was impatient to get there, I decided to stop somewhere for some food and a nap.

Walking over to one of the pig's stalls, I looked at her face and guessed she might feel sympathetic to a small hungry, homeless female. "Hello. My parents are gone. Do you have any food you can spare? I need to find them," I told her pleadingly, though I did expect a few questions and had planned out some half-truths for them.

"Did you lose them around here? I can help you find them," she said with a little worried smile.

"No, I lost them when I was too young to remember. I'm hungry," I added.

"Oh, well if you head toward that way," she pointed a little farther off into the corner of the next village, "there is an orphanage that will help you," she told me.

"What's and orphanage?" I asked, for I truly didn't know, though I hoped I could get food there.

"It's just a place you can shelter at and they'll feed you," she repeated. "Okay, thanks," I left in a slightly happier mood. It's good there were places like that for travelers to stop and eat for a while. By the time I had reached the outer part of the village, my mood was evaporating, and I felt about ready to collapse. My energy would have probably been better used trying to track down my wolf. There weren't many villagers out, but there was a rabbit that was walking so hurriedly, she bustled past a duck, making him glare sharply at her. That didn't stop her and both he and I stared in surprise as five foxes fallowed her into a dark alley. I could see find though, but when the duck curiously peeked around the corner to see what was going on, a quick fox snapped around the corner and slashed his teeth frighteningly close to the duck's throat.

"Aieee!" With a short squeal of fright, he fled the scene and I was alone to witness this, still unseen only by luck. Two had pinned her down, the other two ransacked her coin purse and such items, dumping out with disgust what they couldn't use. The smallest one kept guard, but frequently looked back at the others, expecting more excitement than such. For a moment, I was frozen. I couldn't decide if I should just let her alone and hope they wouldn't feel like killing her or try to fight and rescue her. I could try to help her, but they were definitely outnumbering me and though I was strong, the trip made me weary. Plus, I had no idea if this might cause others of my original village to find me, drawn by tales of a small female tiger who fought. But she was in trouble, I argued, and since when had I let others stop me from doing what I knew was the right thing? Nervously and indecisively, I moved a few steps forward and was surprised out of my worries when the littlest fox bared his teeth in a silent growl. He seemed a little nervous and I decided not to hurt him.

Flattening my ears and puffing up my fur, I narrowed my eyes and snarled angrily in his direction, unsheathing my claws so he could get a good look at them. From the digging I had done to escape and the fighting for my life, they were rubbed a shiny black and the tips were coated with old, dried blood. His eyes widened slightly and he started to make a snarl, frowned and seemed to think for a moment, and then crawled submissively over to one of the foxes sorting through the loot. This is it now, I thought. Time to kill again.

"What do I say if there's and intruder?" he whispered to the other and I nearly laughed at his innocence.

Growling bad temperedly, the bigger one didn't even bother to look around, only swatted the small fox savagely with a hard paw clout to the ear and snapped, "You yell intruder you little pipsqueak!" The fox wailed as the paw bowled him over, but got up and snuck away without another word. Breathless, I looked back at him, meeting his eyes, and he looked purposely away. Smiling to myself, I wriggled my haunches, preparing to run in and attack. They were almost through, and had begun to torment their victim, as they couldn't find anything of real decent value.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" the popular quote of a hero emerged as a small figure landed lightly in the alley. I didn't know what he was, but how strange I had not heard or smelled him coming.

"You're not anywhere near our size," the lead (or the biggest/meanest looking) fox snarled out pointedly.

"Which is why you can't pick on me. For such big foxes, you sure have awful small brains," the voice continued and I could see he looked rather mischievous, though something seemed to be weighing him down inside. Not that I could guess. "Now, my malignant friends, you're going to let her go free, I'm going to make sure you don't come anywhere near this valley ever again, and then I'm going back to the Jade Palace to laugh at you sorry mutts," he continued rather nonchalantly, but with a challenging snarl in his voice. I wondered if maybe he was a really little tiger, cause he looked like a cat, but was definitely an adult, and I'm pretty sure wasn't a cat. He had no claws and for a moment, I seriously doubted the little one's skills and wondered if I would have to end up saving both of them, when I remembered I too was small, but had killed before.

When he mentioned the Jade Palace, I had no idea where that was and wondered if maybe he was a prince, but the foxes clearly knew where and what it was, and began murmuring with slightly frightened and awed glances.

"You are a warrior of the Jade Palace?" the lead fox scoffed, but I could sense uncertainty beneath his words and the little one just smiled with a wry-looking grin.

"No, I am Master Ice Dragon, student of the Originator," he chuckled and I wished they would hurry up and do something, because I had no idea what the dragon-squirrel thing was talking about and the foxes were just creeping me out with their fascinated stares and bristling fur.

"Then it will be a great addition to our names to defeat you," the foxes began closing in, their fur bristling, and seeming to overcome their original fright and surprise.

"You might want to leave our five fellows now. Don't worry, we'll have loads of fun," the funny master told the frightened rabbit and she nodded gratefully before rushing off. The foxes didn't bother to turn and watch her go, but merely moved into a more elaborate attack pattern.

"Attack," the leader snapped and the four around him streaked for the rescuer. I could barely believe my eyes when I saw what happened. Actually, it was so fast that I had a hard time seeing it, but I managed to piece together the events and gaped.

One darted forward to distract with a nip, the second to do a flying leap, and the third and forth to attack once their interloper fell. None of that, fortunately, came close to what they planned. Racing forward, the warrior grabbed the paw of the one who had darted for him, and swung quickly beneath his body and out the other side to end up swirling so his back was to the arcing fox overhead, effectively flipping the fox and crushing the air from his lungs. Leaping mightily into the air, he did a back flip so abrupt and strong, that his hind feet smashed into the fox's jaw, sending him careening backwards. As the warrior fell back down to earth, I thought he was going to be squashed beneath the two attackers. At the last moment, he straightened his legs into a full split that caught their throats and sent them tumbling in the dust, coughing harshly. The little one was the one who had done the frontal attack and he rushed off, thankfully unhurt. The leader snapped for him to return, but this time was met with no compliance. I hoped he would be alright later on.

The others would not be defeated so easily and the one who had been kicked in the jaw staggered in a drunken matter to his feet. Blood trickled from the side of his mouth, but he aimed a punch at the small figure. He was met with such ferocity that he actually fell down and was beaten until he backed away. Cuts covered his face now and he limped away with a small whine. The last two had recovered by now, and were attacking more theoretically than lest time. Both of them circled him, expecting him to turn one way or the other so that they could pounce. Oddly enough, he stood quite still, but his erect ears tilted towards them and never left their directions. Finally, one lunged for his back and the other leaped shortly after. Swiveling to grab the one who attacked first, he grabbed one tiny hand around his open lower jaw and swung him to slam headfirst into the other. I winced, but couldn't help feeling enthusiastic for this amazing warrior. This didn't even look like he was breaking a sweat. He could probably do so much more…

The one who had been slammed by the other fox screamed in pain and as they landed and disentangled themselves from each other, he scrabbled away with blood drenching his brow to the side of his jaw line. The cut looked very bad and he whimpered as the other fox hesitated, uncertain whether to attack again or help his friend. He chose to attack and was soon laid heavily on his back and screeched his own cry of pain. His shoulder had been wrenched backwards and now there was a popping noise and he limped painfully in a sideways shuffle. I thought the foolish criminal would try to attack again, but ran away with his friend, tail tucked and paw not touching the ground, as the warrior made a threatening step towards them.

"Well, I guess I underestimated you, but you can't get the better of me," the leader sniffed and I felt a rising rage for him. While his companions had fought and been injured, all he had done was watch with composed eyes.

"Up high," the warrior just perkily said, and as the fox's eyes flickered momentarily up in a comically confused fashion, his opponent dived beneath him and grabbed his tail, yanking him completely over so his upturned head smacked to the ground with a painful cracking sound. I winced and the fox didn't even yelp, so sunned as he was. The warrior locked his arms around the dazed fox's throat, with the throat in the crease of his elbow and the rest of his body curled up near his head. At first I wondered what on earth he was doing now, but then he leaned down and pulled up with sudden jerking movement. The fox's throat was constricted and with a gasp of surprise, he opened his eyes and gacked, sending a small spray of spit.

Now, he began to struggle, rolling back and forth and twisting to squirm from his grasp. To my amazement, the little warrior just tightened his grip and didn't even rock above the ground. The fox began to try to bite, but couldn't move his head enough, and then started shoving with his paws. This didn't work either and his struggles were definitely becoming less, and I realized his throttler was being merciful, and he could have done a great deal more harm. Their scuffling in the dirt was starting to make everything a little hazy, but I saw the fox manage to tear a shard from the house in the alley side, ripping out a claw in the process. Blood stained the sharp piece and he tossed it to his forepaw. The warrior seemed to realize what was happened and managed to spring away, right as the shard dug down, deep into the earth, where he had been a moment ago.

I stared and got to my paws, not wanting him to come so close to death again. If that piece of wall had stabbed him, it would have gone in right between his shoulder blades and killed him instantly. There was a hard look on the small animal's face now, and he was no longer joking. In a blur of speed, he leaped over the fox and as the fox turned and struggled to his paws, he dived under and jabbed the fox in the stomach. It was fast and hard, but I didn't think it would have hurt so much. The fox howled in pain and dropped like a stone. The warrior moved out of the way, Stepped onto his back, and yanked the fox's ears back, pulling its face into a grimace. "You will leave now. Do not come back and hope I never see or hear of you again. Are we clear?" he snarled in its ear.

The fox, with painful tears from the ear-yanking tried to nod, but yelped as it hurt his ears and yelped again as the fists around them yanked savagely. "Are we clear?" he repeated.

"Yes," the beaten fox whispered.

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, master." With these words, the fox was released, and he left so fast that he seemed to have forgotten all of his injuries. The small warrior was turning around and knowing he would see me, I quickly bounded onto a roof and far away. I hid in the rooftops that night, reflecting and wondering why I did so.

Maybe if I had followed him, he would have taught me how to fight. Then I could use my strength to help others. Remembering the village that tried to kill me, I wondered what the use was if they thought you were a freak and didn't show any appreciation whatsoever, but fear and hate. Not everyone was like that though, I countered, and it makes the world better, more of a world to live in. Yawning, I decided to wait until morning to continue my journey to whatever the orphanage was. What was that place the warrior had talked of? The Ice Squirrel? The Dragon Palace? The Jade Cat? Maybe I would remember later.

Morning passed and I awoke with a stretch of my sore and aching muscles. I wondered around and by luck, I found a tree full of tasty berries. Though a little sour, they were good and filling and I ate ravenously. By the time I reached the corner of the village, I found a large building alone that I assumed was the orphanage. Knocking on the door, I waited until I was greeted by a sheep…who promptly screamed and threw a pair of shorts in my face. Clothes were scattered around and I guessed it was laundry day. The sheep returned slowly and smiled slightly.

"Oh, you're a child. I suppose you have no parents then," he more calmly spoke. Yet, what an odd thing to say.

"How did you know?" I asked, trying not to sound too inquisitive or nosy. "Why else would you be here?" he replied and I stared in ever more increasing confusion. Did he hit his head on something when he threw the laundry at me, which he was now picking up and gazing at me with mild confusion as well.

"Isn't the orphanage to feed and shelter travelers?" I asked in a small voice.

"No, it's for orphans to live," he replied and I wondered what on earth that female pig had gotten me into. Was this her darn idea of a joke?

"What's an orphan?"

"A child without parents and you are one. You can stay here if you like and wait for parents to pick you up," he smiled and I felt gleeful. My parents would certainly come then! They knew they were missing a child and so, I would stay.

"Thank you," I nodded and fallowed him in. He seemed nervous and continually glanced back at me with a rather worried expression until I began to feel irritated and put off. I wasn't going to eat hi for Heaven's sake…

"We'll set up a room for you. You can go meet the other children. Breakfast will be when the bell rings and just fallow the other kids," he told me, before leaving at a bustling pace. The other children had come outdoors to play in what was like a circle of grass in the middle of the building. Weird…The kids seemed friendly enough though as I watched them, and none of them appeared to be bossing each other around. Maybe I could make a fresh start where I was and have friends until my parents came.

For the first time, I remembered my wolf and paused with growing horror and anger. How could I have forgotten him? Admittedly, a couple of exciting things had happened recently, but I had no idea how he could have escaped my life. Desperately, I hoped he would understand. I wanted to be sure he was all right, but I had not seen my parents to remember them and I wanted to find them before him. Besides, it would be easier to search with two other adults. Maybe they would protect me if my village came searching. They would be bigger than me surely. Feeling mad at myself for forgetting my wolf, I was startled into snapping when one of the nervous children came over to me.

"What?" I snapped and she shrieked, streaking away from me, where the others gazed at me with awe and slight terror.

"Do you want to play?" I asked, unsheathing my claws. We could draw pictures in the dirt as I had done when I was younger, and could be as creative with as singing.

Wailing in fright, they hid in their rooms and I trotted after, determined to find at least one friend. "Come on, I just want to play," I pleaded, and frustrated, smashed my claws down the side of the soft wood hallway, gouging a trial of wood from the wall and sending hundreds of slivers scattering down the hallway. A small, furry head that had begun to peak out of the room quickly darted back in with a squeal of fright. Mad, I went back outside and, snarling in silent anger at them and myself, began to hack away at the tree with my claws. By the time breakfast was called, nobody went and I left down the hallways to try and find it myself. When I actually got to the food room, the other children were already there, eating hurriedly, and when I entered, the staff glared at me accusingly (though still frightened) and the other kids looked at me with wild terror. I supposed some of them may have been orphaned from attacks, but this was no reason to get so frightened of me.

"Your room is down the hall and to the left and then right. We advise you stay there during the day. When there is a chance of adoption, you may come out," the head of the orphanage told me with a slight waver in his bleat.

"You can't just lock me in your stupid orphanage room forever! Why?" I demanded.

"You attacked the others here and I'm afraid that is simply not allowed-"

Before he could finish, I roared angrily at him, "Attacked? I was trying to play and it's not my fault if they're brains are so full of dandruff that they can't realize this!" How dare they make up lies? But, then again, I reflected, they might have misinterpreted the last part of my annoyed rant as violence towards them.

"You're too dangerous and we can't have wild animals roaming around right now. We have a business, a well-organized business and we intend to keep it that way. No farther discussion," the old sheep countered and I snarled again. Fine, I would stay at their dumb orphanage. It was the only chance I had, but I refused to stay locked up with them. They couldn't make me. But they did. After dinner, they made me.

So, here I was, locked up in a metal barred room. I could have broken out if I had wanted, but I didn't tell them that. What I had feared for so long it seemed had finally happened. Several messengers from my home village had eventually spread the news of who I was and what I had done. They were searching for me and if I was found, they would try to kill me again. Unfortunately for me, the head sheep had used this to his advantage, and for food, water, and not revealing my location, I had to do what he had requested. That was blackmail I tell you, but I couldn't really do anything about it that I wouldn't end up regretting later. They gave me food and water three times a day through the door, but weeks had passed and I was bored out of my mind. Was any of this truly worth it if I was locked up like a prisoner, a monster? Yes, I suppose, though I didn't like it, that was what I had become. Everyone else seemed to think so anyway.

Yawning, I pulled a stack of paper and a lump of thin charcoal from beneath my pillow. This room was mostly wooden but for the metal outside. There was a little light and a few things but not much. At least they had allowed me to draw. Some pictures were crumpled and tossed while others remained under a loose floorboard (loose because of me), and were my favorites: of me, my family, nature, and of my wolf. Now, I remembered that one warrior again and wondered what had ever become of him, and if I too could ever learn to fight for good. Then, I'd be accepted, be loved, that's all I ever wanted. Trying to remember what he looked like, I could only draw from vague memories, but I was pleased with the ending result and slipped it under the floorboard. I hummed to myself for a while and drew a more accurate picture of my wolf, as an adult, sketching the finer details with a tip of the coal and hoping he too was alright wherever he was. I'd tried to howl before, to see if I could have any chance of calling him back, but I could not howl loud enough, nor produce the long clear note of a wolf.

Odd noises interrupted my humming and I stopped and crawled over to the door to listen. There was slightly panicked shouting and as I crept over to my barred window to look out, I heard lots of panic. Something terrible appeared to be happening, but I couldn't tell what…unless it was not here, unless it was coming.


	4. Home and Safe

I had promised myself I wouldn't do it. My strength was feared and the orphanage leader may make good on his promise and leave something so dangerous as me with my original village, but I had to know what was going on. The loud, undisguised sounds of the children and staff rushing down the halls and out to where whatever was happening died slowly away and I looked at the door, iron and wood, made to keep me in. Whipping in a semicircle, I smashed a hard fist into the door, nearer to the hinges than the center. There was a wonderfully noisy smash of wood as my blow caused a huge crack to run and splinter both up and down. In result, the whole door collapsed to my feet and I stepped out of the wreckage, free again. Nobody seemed to really notice, for something, though I had no idea what was going on in one of the villages and they had no time to worry about me. Just in case, I slinked down the hallways in the shadows, before remembering that they would find out eventually, so I might as well run. So I did. I used the strength in my hind legs to bound past surprised people and out of the orphanage I had been held prison in. The noise and commotion was coming from the village with the huge staircase and palace, but when I headed there, all hectic was breaking loose.

Villagers were screaming and fleeing from the place. The people trying to come into the village to see what was happening quickly turned tail and fled. Most of the buildings around the place were demolished, signs of terrible anger throughout the damage. I could still feel the terrific amount of energy in the air from the level of hate and as I turned, something huge arced past me. I only saw it in a glimpse, but it headed up the stairs to the palace, and I knew it was what was attacking this place. I knew I'd never forget its eyes, though full of dominating hate and rage, full of anguish too. Something very wrong was happening here and I was smack dab in the middle of it. An awful racket was ensuing up the mountain and I worried about what was happening. Part of me wanted to leave this terrible scene and the other part wanted to see what would happen, call it curiosity if you will.

Finally, common sense took a better hold of me and I fled. I had seen quite enough. Going back to the orphanage, I saw with dismay, everyone waiting for me.

"What happened up there?" I asked, trying to distract them from the fact that I had escaped. It didn't work.

"Get back inside. There's a monster on the loose, much like you, and I prefer to keep one of them in!" the headmaster tried to usher me in and I snarled at him.

"I haven't done anything wrong so leave me alone!" At the moment, I was more interested in what was going on outside and I would not be ushered in! To my surprise, he did let me alone. Walking over to one of the trees, I curled up in it and waited to see what would happen next concerning this odd attack. I waited for a few days, but the villagers around me were even wearier than ever, probably from the creature that had done so much damage. Nobody really spoke to me and eventually, I resigned myself to the fact that I probably wouldn't know what had just happened and returned to my room.

A few weeks passed since the incident and I learned adoption day was coming up. I wasn't sure if I wanted to get another family, but then I could find my wolf, I could finally belong to someone who would love me, and I could leave this terrible place. They seemed willing enough to let me try to get adopted, but probably only because they knew nobody would pick me. Two times passed and the families who came to adopt came less often and nobody wanted me, always picking the others and shying from me as if I were a terrible monster. More alone than ever, I resorted to coming out at night to try and play with or get to know the other children, but that only increased their fear of me and mistrust. The staff even once tried to catch me with butterfly nets! Unbelievable.

Depression was sort of what I was in at the time, and it meant I wasn't hungry, thirsty, or tired. I felt nothing and for so long, I shut myself away after that, I could have been invisible. My dreams could sometimes keep me happy when I slept, but I soon grew tired of those too, for they were lovely things, but nevertheless, things I could never have. My wolf would never find me again, this I also resigned myself to. Visitors held interest to me, for I always hoped that it was someone, maybe my real parents, come to take me home. It was a foolish hope and one that I never put much faith into, but I clung to it stubbornly, for it was all I had. Even if I left the orphanage, there wasn't much the outside world could offer me. We all lived in this planet, but some of us walk alone, with only a shell of our past hovering around to make sure we're still here. Days, weeks, months, years, I never really knew how much time passed by. There was no way I could tell and no reason I would want to. People say you can sense the changing in the air. They are wrong. You know it in your heart.

Nobody really ever approached my room anymore except those who came to feed me. I had used to wander the halls at night, but when my depression set in, even the lambs had felt a little sorry for me and tried to coax me to eat more. For a moment, I thought my ears had deceived me and I glanced out of a crack in the door, seeing two shadows in a shaft of light. A stranger had visited the orphanage, and despite my initial lack of interest, I wondered what he or she was doing here. For a moment, a little spasm of fright made me wonder if the sheep had finally brought someone from my village to take me away. I could escape, but I didn't want to be hunted and I could never face my parents again.

"No one will come here to adopt a child because they're afraid of her!" the sheep wailed, "She's a monster! A monster!" No longer wanting to hear anymore, I retreated back into the corner of my room and turned away. Here, I was always judged, and even though I had allowed myself to be pent up in this room like a prisoner, I was still considered a monster, and that hurt. Feeling angry at myself, and just everything in general, I decided I was no longer Yan Ge. Never again would I sing for anyone, for nobody could ever love me. I was tiger, and so I would be tigress. Yes, I liked that. Wondering the point of such a life as a monster I had anymore, I thought regretfully that everyone I had met had been afraid of me, and sooner or later, that fear turned to hatred.

The twisting of the metal lock in the door and the widening stance, causing a shaft of light, made me start in surprise, but not quite enough to turn around.

"Tigress, I am Shifu. I am-" the voice began behind me, and I couldn't help being venomous.

"Afraid?" I interrupted with a snarl on my face. I didn't let the voice see it, but I was amazed that I caught no trace of fear from him, though my ability to sense emotions was somewhat dimming. He just had about him a trace of determination and strength. Yet, when I looked at him, I recognized him as the warrior who had defeated the foxes in the alley, and yet, he had used another name…

"Well you should be! I am Tigress, Tigress the Monster!" I snarled, for a moment, realizing I was venting my vehemence upon a warrior who really didn't know me and the door was closed, so now nobody was with me. As always… "The monster no one wants," I finished unhappily and turned away again. Nobody could ever want me, for I was a murderer, a coward, and my strength would always be dangerous to anyone I was around. For a moment, I remembered the warrior's strength, I suppose Shifu now, and wondered if it was possible that he was stronger than me from the way he beat the foxes. I could feel pent up energy inside him, and he had barely considered it an exercise to beat those foxes. Still, he was a stranger, and all strangers feared me…but I argued with myself, not him.

I felt a little spark of anger before he answered, but rather than agreeing, he opposed me, "You are not a monster! You are a little girl." I gasped and turned to him in complete bewilderment. Seeing him up close and actually studying him, I knew he did not recognize me from however long ago it was, or id he did, he didn't show it. Also, he had no claws, or long fangs(that would admittedly look creepy), and when he stood at his full height, he was barely taller than me, not counted his high furry ears that swiveled to each noise. While I was observing him, he seemingly fished from nowhere, a bunch of square pieces of wood and spread them in a semicircle. "Let u play?" he asked. I had no idea how to play with these funny bright colored pieces of wood, but I didn't want the only one who did not fear me and who wanted to play with me to go away. He may have been small, as small as I was, but he was so powerful and I finally had found someone who could be my friend for maybe a while. I secretly wondered why he had come in the first place, but I decided not to ask him that.

Carefully as I could, I reached for the small piece of wood and brought it up, but it was thinner and more brittle than I had originally thought and without warning, it snapped in half. I barely noticed it had broken by the time this Shifu had caught it. Amazed at his reflexes, I stared at him as he held the broken missile that just now, I noticed had nearly hit him. "You must learn to control your strength," he said.

"Will you teach me?" I couldn't help asking the question, and with a silent nod and a beckoning hand, he led me to an empty wooden room, with gaps so the sun shone in and beautifully too. His fur made him look a little bigger, because he was even fluffier than me, but not to be laughed at, yet his hands were so small and everything about him made me wonder what he was and how he had ever managed to be so strong. I had unusual strength for a tiger cub, but I would grow bigger, so it just made sense. I had reason to tell he was not about to grow any more anytime soon.

"Watch," he said, and began swaying his arms in a quick and powerful, yet slow and flowing movement, times with the air, and beautiful to observe. I tried, I really did at first, but one of my clumsy paws accidentally swung through the wall. Several orphanage-dwellers rushed away screaming, and I gave a small sigh of disappointment. "Focus," he reprimanded me, and despite that this seemed odd to watch, I knew it would help me, and for some reason, I trusted the small warrior. So, we practiced and practiced and practiced, and my muscles ached with the movement that he insisted I keep up in the same way, same height, and same speed for the whole practice, but I wouldn't complain. It was hard work, but it helped, and I didn't want him to go away.

Next, he led me to the doorway that was on the border of outside. He showed me the flat pieces of wood again, and I saw this time, there were only five. To my shock, he suddenly threw them up into the air and spun in a flip to the side, catching every single one. Differently than the fox attack, he used the flip in a graceful, balanced motion to use a powerful enough jump to complete the feat, and yet, carefully planned so he was slow enough for me to see and to land on the earth silently and calmly. As I stared at his him, he opened his hand, and I saw them suddenly arranged so they were all stacked up on one another. I couldn't help a gasp of amazement and wondered if he would let me try. I could not do such a acrobatic trick yet, but I knew how to catch. I could.

He seemed to notice and recognize the look on my face and threw them up for me too. Leaping high to catch the brilliantly sparkling trinkets, I opened my paw proudly to show them off, that I could do it too in my own way, but they were all broken. Suddenly furious at myself, that my paws so hardened from running on all fours and my muscles so strong and stronger from exercise had betrayed me, I threw the useless pieces against the doorway with a snarling fit of rage. "Again," he said and I glanced up in surprise. I had just broken his little shiny wood pieces and he wanted me to try again? "Practice," he told me and this time, I saw as he reached into his sleeve and pulled out another five of the square pieces. Though I was tired, I leaped and leaped and caught and caught, but the results were all the same. Pretty soon, he ran out of the pieces of wood and he said he would have more next day.

He taught me many tai chi positions to remain calm and balanced, but he also taught me kung fu for strength. "Friends will see your grace, but enemies will see your strength that way," he told me.

"What friends?" I had muttered and he glanced at me with what seemed amused resignation.

"You'll see." And I did see. We practiced all kinds of things, and by the end of the day, I was completely exhausted and yet, when I returned back into my room, the chains and stuff were all gone, the room with a hot meal and comfy bed in it. Candles were placed carefully around the newly furnished and cleaned room and I stared at him in surprise. How did this magic come by? "I have my ways," he answered my unspoken question and I smiled brightly at him. For a moment, I wondered where he was going to stay in the orphanage, but then realized he probably was returning to his home.

"Will I see you again?" I asked pitifully. I liked his teachings, but most of all, I liked him.

"I will be here until you no longer have need of me," he thought carefully before replying and I felt a small thrill and then, disappointment. If he taught me enough to get a family, search for my wolf, and for my parents, my life would be complete. But I didn't want him to leave.

"Where are you going?" I asked out of curiosity.

"I live in the Jade Palace with Master Oogway," he replied.

"Who's that? Aren't there others?" I wondered.

"Master Oogway is the originator of Kung Fu and headmaster of the Jade Palace. He is the great protector of the Valley of Peace. There were others in the Jade Palace before, but not now," he explained.

"Why?"

"Certain things happened," he thought awhile before answering, and I could tell he didn't want to be asked any more questions, and he seemed to have a trace of sadness hovering around him, and so, for now, I decided not to press him.

"Oh," I said instead. "Good night," I bowed to him.

"Good night. I will be here tomorrow at sunrise," he bowed in return, and walked off, though my eyes stayed on the door even after he had left. What a mysterious warrior he was…

The next day, he came right at sunrise, true to his word, and I was waiting for him. Days of this constant meeting continued, and in truth, I dove into this new life right away, though I knew it could not last. His demands were continuous and the work was hard, but I had been through rough times before and I knew it made me stronger and a much better warrior. An adoption day had already come and gone, but I didn't mind. I had to gain everyone's trust here and then maybe I would be adopted. He showed me how my strength was indeed very useful, but how to use my agility, speed, gentleness, and many other skills too. Though I noticed, the closer I tried to get to him, the farther he seemed to distance himself. At first I thought it was simply because he knew I would need to go to a family later, but I began to suspect it was something else, and though it didn't seem like a problem at the time, I was just naturally curious. A little over a month had passed since he first visited me and I was so close to my goal of becoming gentle and so much more. We had trained long and hard and though it

got very tiring after a while, I was generally pleased with myself and I could feel my muscles getting stronger, my joints more flexible, and yet I knew how to be soft and kind now. Everything was finally turning to be all right and I had just this morning, after Shifu made me do the exercise over and over again, had caught all the dominoes in perfect unbroken harmony. I wasn't sure how to feel exactly at that point, for I wasn't completely sure if I was finished or what. It turns out I wasn't, but when I saw what I was to do next, my excitement piqued. My teacher and my master, my friend explained what we were to do.

"You are ready for your final test, in front of the whole orphanage. Only a few kid will not be enough," he told me before I could admit my sort of stage fright with hostiles. "Do you know of the Sacred Pool of Tears?"

"No," I shook my head ruefully, for though I had traveled lots, I barely knew my location any of the time. Taking a little scroll of paper, an ink well, and a brush he had brought into my room soon after I had caught the dominoes, he showed me,

"This is how it looks like, but this image is also known as a yin yang. Everything has this inside them, for it represents how two things, so different, can be similar and connect, calling on one another for help. I think it would look fine out of dominoes," he commented and I began to get what he was saying after I stared at the pretty twirling symbol that looked like two fish.

"Okay, what are dominoes?," I asked, and he looked at me with mild surprise, before answering only those toys you have been trying to catch for over a month. Surprised at the weird name, I said in my head a few times and turned back to the task ahead. I knew I could do it, and filled with the anticipation of the orphanage's awe, I worked to perfection, passing over weeks and weeks to do so. Finally, one morning that he came, I just knew it would be the day, and it was. I reconstructed the image perfectly, or at least the way I determined was perfectly, made out of dominoes and such, but nevertheless, I had done it.

"You are ready," he told me and went off to get the others to join in the center grass piece of the orphanage. When they arrived, they looked a little frightened, but I absorbed myself in my work, and demonstrated all the grace and gentleness I possibly could. Soon, their gazes became awed and as I created the huge yin yang again, I flicked a domino to send them all over in a beautiful rippling, shining image. Several of the kids started to play with me, and I felt happy, laughing with them as I answered their questions and they taught me to play. We played many the games before I was slightly worn out and realized it was adoption day again. Though I had been here, waiting for a moment like this in months, I couldn't help wondering how I would pick the right parents to help my find my family and my wolf. Besides, what would happen to Shifu? He was a wonderful teacher and I didn't want him to leave. But…I knew that he must have been ready for it, for that is why he trained me, and I decided, if he could leave, so could I. Still, I would miss him.

The great doors to the orphanage opened, and though I was busy playing gently with dominoes and the kids, the grownups still took one look at me, and picked out the others. Disappointed, I gazed at the leaving backs, unwilling to believe this. I tried so hard, yet I would never be accepted. The sheep even looked sorry for me and tried to reassure me with the fact that there was always next time, but I wouldn't hear him. How could I? My teacher was gone and all my hard work had not gained me a single trusting adult…except maybe him. The sheep left soon after as I didn't move, but by then I had turned away and went to sit underneath a tree on the picnic table. I supposed they had not picked me for though I had been gentle, I was still a tiger, and if they guessed I could kill someone, they were right, for I had. Still, why did they always have to judge me so? Feeling dejected, I wondered really at the point of this, for nobody could really see how gentle I could be and I didn't really want to hurt anyone. Digging into a small pocket I had, I felt a small sharp corner and tugged it out.

With a sigh, I laid out the lone domino on the table and stared depressingly at it. This was my life. I was startled as a second hand came down and laid the second domino next to mine. Looking up into the face of my teacher and who I know considered a sort of father in more ways than any of mine before, I gasped, "Shifu." He was here, though I had no idea why, but I was so happy to see a smiling face that I simply didn't care. Maybe he would stay here and teach me more, and then I could get adopted. It would be harder to leave this time, but I enjoyed his company and most of the orphans had gone now, so I was mainly alone.

"Come, let's go home," he said and I puzzled momentarily over his words before realizing he meant his home and he was taking me back. A thrill of happiness and adrenaline ran through me and I felt excited that I could stay with him, and see the Master Oogway and the Sacred Pool of Tears. I would ask him to help me find my family and my wolf later, for surely he would be best at such things. He knew so much.

"Thank you baba," I purred and pressed my fur gently to him with affection. Surely, this would please him, but I felt a momentary stiff shiver run through him, and I wondered what might lay in the future, for though he had adopted me, had saved me from myself, he seemed to be getting colder and colder.


	5. Dead Past Alive For Now

_After losing my parents and being attacked by cannibals, my survival was never a guaranteed thing. It was different now, with my friend, my savior. She had saved my many times, from myself, from cannibals, and she tried so hard from the river. It just wasn't enough. The river saved me, but I don't know about her. So, when the wolves came, I howled my good bye song, but she never answered. _

_Good bye my friend We're at the end But I'll always think of you_

_Come back soon Tell the moon When you're almost here _

_So long, run fast Enjoy life to last Maybe we'll meet again_

_It was a short triplet of howl, and the other wolves that had found me looked strangely at me with the same inquisitive amber eyes, but I didn't mind. If she was alive, surely she would find me._

The darkest part of night was nearly here and I was feeling lonely despite my new found guardian. The moon rose above me and I didn't know why I felt such a pull toward that wolf cub, but he was definitely in my mind and I decided to wait for him to find me, if he could, for right now, I was happy. Suddenly looking around for my friend, as we had just started bounding up the stairs, I saw he was farther below and bounced down next to him.

Aren't you coming baba?" I asked with slight confusion. I knew he was much faster than me, and though he was going at a reasonable pace, something seemed wrong.

"Yes, I'm just not very good at climbing stairs anymore. Sometime, I'll show you how to scale a mountain though," he replied and I paused to think. Now that I thought about it, I never did know how old he was. His fur was pretty white, but he just didn't seem as old as one would have thought. Maybe he did have arthritis though…but how could he scale a mountain if he couldn't climb stairs?

"I can teach you how to climb stairs," I offered and he laughed slightly, but I was still confused.

"Tigress, I know how to climb stairs. I'm not as young as you are though and it's not as easy for me," he said, "You can run up if you like. I will join you." At his change of mind and direction, for he was heading towards the side of the staircase, I paused. My curiosity got the better of me though and I began to run up the stairs, not too quickly at first, for I had no idea what he was about to do. As I watched, he sped up the mountain, seemingly floating as he raced up the stones. Feeling amazed he could do this, I struggled to keep up, but he reached the top just ahead of me. How could he do that?

"Wow," I purred, and then I saw the huge place they lived in, and an old animal I wasn't sure of what it was. Come to think of it, I didn't really know what Shifu was either. I was going towards cat, and yet so far, it seemed no cat could hope to match his skills. The two began to talk while I stared about me in surprise and finally landed my gaze on four others. Who were they? For a moment, I felt jealous. Didn't Shifu tell me only he and Master Oogway lived in the Jade Palace?

"What?" I jumped at Shifu's outburst. "You never told me that you had already found a student. After the past month, I have found you four," the old creature said and guessing he was Master Oogway, I also assumed he was a tortoise. Wow, he looked weird and ancient…

Remembering the four students, I greeted them with a cheery, "Hi." Maybe they would be my friends. At least, I couldn't smell fear on any of them.

Turning back to Shifu as the other students just sort of waved at me, I heard Shifu murmur, "I could not set Tai Lung's paws on the right path."

"Who's Tai Lung," I asked, and was surprised because this was the first time I had ever seen him look kind of awkward. His mixed emotions flooded me and I wondered what was going on. He was so complicated…

"He was a student," Master Oogway glanced at me and his gaze told me not to continue. Slightly miffed, I returned my attention to the newcomers. I was about to start talking to them when Oogway introduced them for me,

"Crane is even and he is one of the best students from a large Kung Fu academy." Glancing at the bird called Crane, I saw that though he was taller than me, his beak, neck, and legs were very long. He was probably agile in the air and looked kind of cute in that hat. "Mantis is eight and he is protector of one of the villages up north." I glanced around until I saw him and saw he was an insect. After seeing Shifu, I did not underestimate size, and he looked as if he could be very fierce if he wished to be. "Monkey is even and was a prankster with great skill, and now uses it for good." He was a very typical looking monkey and probably had monkey agility was all I could say about him. "Viper is seven and is a venom less ribbon dancer who protects one of the southern villages." She was a quite beautifully patterned viper and though she did not carry a ribbon, she looked graceful and pretty with the little flowers on her head.

"My parents thought I should come here, and I miss them, but I like it here," she whispered softly in my ear.

"Tigress is eight and she has extraordinary strength which I have taught her to keep in check," Shifu told them and I smiled proudly.

"Shall we have dinner and then retire. It is late my friends," Oogway suggested and we nodded enthusiastically. Now that he had brought it up, I was starving! As we walked through what seemed an endless labyrinth, I began to notice an awful lot of ducks and geese here, a few pigs too,but I had no idea why they were all here?

"Are they warriors?" I quietly asked Master Shifu and he glanced at me with surprise.

"No, they are servants. They are paid to work here," he said. We entered a huge room and I gasped to see all its magnificence. It was beautiful and most of it was jade, with interesting artifacts posed around it. I thought they were there for their beauty at first, but then I saw that they were weapons.

"This is the Sacred Hall of Warriors. It is not yet complete," Oogway told us. The others were looking around with amazement, but Shifu faced stiffly ahead and Oogway seemed calm and oblivious to his silence. Hurrying a little to catch up with the other students, I listened to them as they talked.

"This must be pretty new, cause none of these things look over a few years old, if even that," Crane remarked.

"Exquisitely detailed weapons though," Viper added. "Of course, I suppose I couldn't really use many of them." She looked a little wistful and though she was a very beautiful viper, I felt sad she could not handle these weapons to their full ability as we could.

"Don't you fight with your ribbon dancing?" I asked, remembering what Oogway had told us about her.

"Oh yes, but I would like to learn how to fight like Master Viper, my father," she sighed.

"Who's Master Viper?"I echoed.

"Her father," Monkey put in.

"He was neither enemy of nor trained by Oogway or Shifu. He learned of kung fu from an invader of our village and altered it a little to fit his style," Viper murmured, a little sadly I thought.

"If you don't mind me asking, …where is he now?" Mantis spoke from Monkey's shoulder, and I wondered why he sat there, and then guessed they must be friends, and it would get quite tiring to walk so far on tiny legs.

"I left him to protect the village, but we will still keep in touch I imagine. Maybe he'll visit sometime and you can meet him," she sighed.

"My mom ate my dad," Mantis remarked. I stared at him for a while. What?

"That's normal," Crane whispered to me.

"My mom kind of got squashed and my kin probably wouldn't remember me, so I kind of grew up by myself. The world goes by too slowly for us," Mantis continued. "My parents signed me up for the kung fu academy, as I can fly so well for my age, but I doubt they even miss me, for I am the youngest of five children and we have quite a large family. After they spoke of their families, I wondered what to say and my mouth went dry. To summarize such a life as I had, they might turn from the friendly characters they were to hating me for what I'd done. I never knew my first parents, but grew up with foster parents; killed a girl in my rage; been given the death sentence and ran away; found a starving wolf cub and let him get stolen by cannibals; save him, only to kill again and lose him in the river; wake up safe and spend my depression in an orphanage…except for the part when Shifu saved me, I barely could stand my own life.

"I don't know my parents; I was adopted. After that, it was a long story. I'll tell you later." That "later" extended past dinner, which was very good, and to night time where they had already forgotten about it and we talked a while. Monkey had a cough and I hoped they weren't catching anything. Sleep threatened to swallow my mind, but I wanted to think. We each had small comfy little rooms to stay in and I lay on the blanket on the floor of mine, staring at the ceiling. How could I ever tell anyone of my past? I came up with the conclusion not to yet, but maybe someday…

The loud banging at the door caused me to jolt wide awake from my short nap and I stared into the dark. I could see much better than the others and as they searched noisily for their lanterns, I ran out my room and down the hall to see Master Shifu and Oogway at the door. I went to stand my Oogway as Shifu checked who was outside, and I saw three armed tigers. My kind?

"Residents or whomever this may concern…" the messenger started to read from the scroll and Shifu rolled his eyes. "The care takers of the Bau Gu orphanage inform me that you are harboring guilty with the charge of rabbit-slaughter. This criminal has been sentenced to death and if you continue to assist this evildoer…gack!" the tiger was cut off as Shifu yanked him down by the front of his fancy shirt so that he was right down to eye level with the angry master. I trembled momentarily, part from the shock that the messenger was revealing m secret with my new friends just behind us and partly because though they were hunting me down, I didn't want Shifu to do anything bad to him.

"Baba, don't," I whispered quietly and the others stared in me in somewhat surprise and amusement before Shifu shook the tiger again and brought him back into focus.

"The emperor will have your head if you do anything to us," one of the other tigers snarled angrily at him, though his gaze flickered away easily as Shifu gave him a cool, level look.

Completely ignoring the blustering threat, Shifu spoke, "I am well aware that this "evildoer" as you so put it, vacates the Jade Palace. You can tell the emperor though that the situation is controlled and there is no longer a threat. Bring this message from Master Oogway and Master Shifu and do hurry. I would prefer this matter be cleared straight away." I was impressed he stood up for me and how much he could make others quake, and glancing at my new friends, I saw they were not frightened yet, only curious.

"The emperor is already aware of this too, but the laws are strict and for a reason. If you cannot respect that, we will use force to bring justice," he warned.

"You speak to me of justice when you would condemn a child for accidental slaughter? The death penalty is not to be kept alive anyway," Shifu argued.

"It is true that the death penalty is not allowed within the emperor's territory, but she crossed into the Valley of Peace and must be brought back dead or alive," he continued.

"Tell the emperor, no. I do not wish to cause a fight with the emperor, but if it comes to that, he will lose. I have trained her to control her strength and she has learned her lesson. Go home," Shifu ordered, and to my surprise, the tigers stayed right where they were.

"Then force will be ensured."

"The emperor will see to that."

"For he is wise."

"Wisdom without intelligence and reason means nothing. Go tell him we are ready. Now get out of my sight!" Shifu threw the tiger he had been half-throttling towards the door and he and the other two staggered as they tried to be the first out the door.

"Was that wise Shifu? If this comes to warmany more lives may be lost," Oogway told him and I stared up at the tortoise. Surely he didn't want to hand me over, but maybe he should if I caused a war…

"I may have been hasty to threaten them so, but I will not let them kill for such a reason, especially when the problem has been solved, " Shifu murmured. "I will send a letter to the emperor requesting his meet to discuss this. Hopefully it will arrive before his messengers do," Oogway gave him a look that clearly stated he agreedwould keep to what he said, but would rather fight or something. Viper was looking at me with some sort of uncertainty, Mantis looked rather impressed, Crane frowned at me, and Monkey just looked alert as if the fight would suddenly come here. Summer was ending and though the night was still warm, I felt as cold as ice and hot as fire. What could my past mean for my adoptive family. I had no doubt that we could defeat the emperor and his soldiers, but I doubted it could be done without causing them death or serious injury.

"Go back to bed," Shifu murmured to us without turning and sensing this was becoming something very serious indeed, we left. I couldn't look forward to the rest of the night though, for my belly churned with fear and as I tried to close my eyes to rest, someone kept coughing.

Eventually, I walked over to Viper's room and knocked before entering as she said, "Come in." To my surprise, I found the others coming up behind me and we all joined in one room.

"Is it true you killed some villager?" Mantis got straight to the point.

"Yes, I lost my temper at her and killed her. My life got worse after…" I sighed.

"It should. You can't expect to kill someone and stay in the village perfectly happy afterwards," Crane mentioned in a slightly irked voice.

"They weren't going to let me life afterwards," I growled, "I escaped because of that. The rest is much too long of a story."

"I thought only the emperor could judge crimes thought worth death," Monkey stated knowledge of the law and I assumed it was so he could not be taken to the law for his crime-like pranks.

"They were always looking for a way to get rid of me and then they got a good one," I replied. I did not want them to think I believed what I had done was right. I felt truly sorry for what I had done to her, even though she had tormented my life, and even now, she did after her death. "Do you really think there will be a war for this?" I asked.

"The emperor is going to meet with the masters," Viper tried to reassure me, but Crane interrupted.

"But will he listen," he seemed to ask nobody in general and with indecision in his voice, "If it comes to a fight, should we fight?"

"What do you mean should we? It's not like we can just disappear and forget all this," Mantis rolled his eyes.

"None of you have to fight. I can take care of myself, or just leave," I whispered. I hated to do that, but it was the right thing. I couldn't expect kids and even masters to fight on my behalf for something such as this. Though I loved this place, and I loved my friends and Shifu, to keep them safe, I would never see them again.

"Why are we all assuming there even will be a fight? Shifu and Oogway seem to know what they're doing and I think we should trust them.

"Yeah, the emperor's guards must have gotten a very good first impression of Shifu," Mantis snickered.

"Tigress, I would like to talk with you," Master Shifu's voice was outside the door and everyone immediately hushed up. Coming out, I closed the door and walked with him. Not counting his ears, he was barely bigger me, but still, I could not look him in the eyes, for I had seriously wronged, and worst yet, I had never told him, never thinking it would matter.

"I'm sorry," I mewed.

"What for?" he asked and I glanced at him with surprise in my eyes. What did he mean? I had killed an innocent (sort of) villager, never told him, and he was asking me what I was feeling sorry for?

"For killing her, for not telling you, for leading us into a war with the emperor," I sighed, and though I did not completely know who the emperor was, my goose parents had said he was the ruler of China, and occasionally met with the separate rulers of his territory. His territory only extended so far though, for some were allowed their own territory, and China did not extend forever.

"There may be a war, but there also may not. I know you regret what you did, but it is done," he looked at me serioursly now. H glanced at me and I lowered my gaze, counting the stripes on my nervous feet. "Tigress, that is not even your real name, is it? Crane was given no other from the day he was born, Monkey named himself as he grew up alone on the streets, Mantis was an adult who grew up only with a mother who died shortly after he and his kin's birth. Viper is her last name. Your whole life has been to avoid hurting people until you killed that girl. Why?"

I was surprised and dismayed at how the subject moved to her, and I tried to explain carefully and truthfully, "I also hated her because she hated me. She drove my friends away and when new girls came, they actually let me play with them. I accidentally hurt one of the girls in tag and the one I killed got angry, called me names. I got so mad that I just wanted to hurt her, as much as she hurt me, but physically instead, so I kept slashing at her. Then, she didn't move anymore." As he listened to me, I looked anxiously at him, hoping he would forgive me and yet unable to bear it if he let me off lightly.

"I can understand that Tigress, and you have much better control of your strength now. If it comes to a fight, you will not fight alone. Oogway and I have discussed this, and what you did was wrong, but there is nothing we can do about it know," he told me and somehow, I felt a tiny bit better.

"May I speak with the emperor?" I asked.

He shook his head though and said, "I have rarely met him, but he will not take kindly to this. If I tell him, they were going to execute you without his permission, he will understandably want proof, and from the sound of it, they will lie. This may not turn out to be a battle of blood, but of truth and lies. For now, we will just have to wait. War is trouble, but it is numerous and over before it has began." My paws suddenly felt very tired and I wondered at his words. I hoped there would be no battle, but my word against the others would most likely mean next to nothing.

"You can go back to bed if you wish," Shifu told me and I nodded a thanks and walked off slowly. We had walked a ways and I tried to recall the path back to the others. I couldn't though as much as I tried and after trotting around a lot, fallowing trails, racing everywhere for a scent of them, I found myself exhausted and curled up farther up the mountain and right under a beautiful tree. Though sleep beckoned me, a sweet scent wafted from the tree. Glancing up, I saw it filled with the most beautiful blossoms I had ever seen and these funny round things hung amongst them. They smelled like fruit, but I had never seen any fruit like this where I had grown up. Crouching lo, I launched myself up into the tree and managed to land on the lowest branch. Stretching out paw, I grasped one and tugged. Looking at it, I put it on the tree branch and stared at it. Fruit never had any troubles like this, but then again, I rethought, pulling it from its home had killed it as well.

"Why are you not in bed? That peach will not grow on its branch," Oogway's voice interrupted my thoughts and I looked curiously down. "I spoke with Shifu. Do not worry. Winter comes to prepare for spring," he spoke wisely and I looked back dumbly. It was summer.

Jumping down with the peach, I asked him, "Is he sure I cannot speak with the emperor? My crime was bad and maybe if he discusses it with me, I can stop the war. The emperor must have had to deal with wars a lot."

"Far less than you may think. He does not often participate in the evils of the land unless there is something specific he has heard word of and decides need attention," Oogway told me, and I wondered then what good were all his soldiers. As we walked and talked, as I had with Shifu, I noticed a few places I had seen before and found that he was guiding me back to the bedrooms.

"Have you often had war?" I asked quietly.

"No, many battles we have fought here ad out, but most of the wars, we go to. There was one once here with a wolf," he said and a surge of memory and guilt and pain came back to me.

"Master Oogway, I know this is not a good time, but I must speak my mind. There is a wolf pup I tried to save from starvation, saved him from cannibals, but could not save him from the river we fell to. His howls were from across this city, and I waited to find a family before I could find him," I hurriedly explained.

"I understand, but you are right. This is not a good time. Once the wind blows the dust away, we can follow it to its heart," he said. Glancing once more at him, I just nodded.

"Thank you," and with that, we had arrived at my room, and I went in to bed. I tossed the peah back and forth a few times before eating the soft tart fruit. Saving the seed, I felt an urge to plant it, I wanted at least one more thing to live again, before the chaos descended. The others were surely asleep now, and I slept in fear of the things to come.


	6. Beating of the Heart

_Bitter pain soaked me along with the rain as I ran through the forest. This might have been a life to enjoy, but not now .I was not quite a grown wolf, not even close, but I was alone and I did not have a rank of my own, and so I was cast down to the bottom of my pack. What was the point of being a wolf free of danger at last, if never to be free of the pack itself? Snow was coming, I could feel it, and I wanted to find her, I wanted someone I knew could be my friend. But not now, not winter. Anger slipped into my mind at the unfairness of it all and though I knew I would not be alive without her, I couldn't help feeling rejected and decided let her find me or not, I am a wolf, and I can brave this world alone if that's what it takes to survive._

A couple days passed by and I was beginning to get worried. The snow was about to come and I wanted to get this matter resolved with the emperor as quickly as possible. Fingering the little pin kept with me, I struggled to keep my mind on one of Master Shifu's training session. Though I had been distracted for the last few days, I was realizing he was sort of withdrawing his friendliness, and though I was sure he still liked me, I wondered why he kept so distant. At first, I thought it was simply the stress of the recent events, but quickly saw he hardly ever got worried, and it seemed something deeper than that, as if history was repeating itself and he was afraid for once.

We were not as of yet being taught so many moves, but more of many vigorous exercises to make us stronger, faster, and we knew so much now we didn't know then. The basics were seemingly familiar, but we were just beginning to see some of the really extravagant moves that could be done too. Oogway was not there.

After a couple days since those tigers visited, Oogway and Shifu had a fight,…or a spat if you could even call it that. Though Oogway was very wise and Shifu could be both formal and rather annoyed when in each other's presence, they were good old friends and something serious must have happened. It had been night time and I was up to go to the bathroom, wandering the halls to search for it once more, when I heard Shifu's loud arguing, that was tempered with the effort to keep slightly quieter. Oogway was calm as usual, but much sterner than I'd ever seen him.

_"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift…" Oogway was telling Shifu, before he interrupted. _

_"That is why it is called the present. I know, but that won't help the fact that it's happening again. You know what would happen if there should be a second Tai Lung growing up in this palace," he growled and I wondered at his statement. I had already guessed Tai Lung was an evil dude, but how could there possibly be a second? Did he have the power to replicate himself and was somehow hidden in the palace? _

_"The Dragon Warrior will prevail, but not for a long time yet. Do not worry, my old friend. You are so tense," Oogway murmured. _

_"Tense? We have a possible upcoming war, the villagers are barely getting over Tai Lung's attack, and that itself may repeat once more. Do I not have reason to be worried?" Shifu snarled back and I remembered all that commotion the one night at the orphanage. Had that been Tai Lung? _

_"I understand your fears, but I am telling you it will all turn out as it is meant to be," Oogway calmly replied and I stifled a yawn. Sleepy…and I still needed to find the bathroom… _

_There was silence and I held my breath, but the doors shot open anyway and Shifu gave me a strange glance and seemed about to speak, but Oogway beat him to it. _

_"Go back to bed Tigress," he quietly ordered me and I left._

That night made me realize so many things were going on and though we were high up away from the rest of the world, there were still so many problems and worries. Even as I left, there was a lot more arguing and I assumed for some reason, Oogway would not be coming to train us. A sudden trumpet horn from near the gates made me start with surprise and dismay, and Shifu turned with a mild expression and a sarcastic, "I wonder if the emperor is here yet." Muttering to himself, he led us to the door and several royal escorts escorted the emperor in, where he sat and eyed us all with what seemed to be disdain, and yet had a just gleam to it.

"Greetings Master Shifu, I heard of your welcome to my messengers. It appears you wish to talk with me?" Oogway came in suddenly from wherever he must have been and I heard the emperor's subtle reminder of how Shifu had totally beaten up the messengers.

"Yes, I wanted to inform you myself that it is not necessary for Tigress to be punished for what she did. I am training her and she has learned to control her strength,: he told him and the emperor growled.

"I am aware of what you think, but this is not a matter of opinion, it is a matter of safety and justice," he pointed out.

"This was not intended murder and I have seen many mass murderers roaming the villages. How is a little girl, who poses no national threat now, be any worse?"

"Can you be sure of this? If she is a danger to the public, I will not hesitate to have her killed, but if you can keep her damage curbed and use her potential in battle to assist us, she may have some qualities we can use," the emperor glanced at me for the first time and I stared defiantly back, unafraid.

"Yes, I have never had doubt of that," Shifu affirmed, but the emperor wasn't listening, staring at me with an utterly bewildered expression.

"My brother had a daughter once. Though his son lives, heir to the throne, he lost the second son and his daughter," he murmured. Confused, I shied a little farther away from his searching golden eyes. "I wil expect you can hold to your word," the emperor snapped out of it and gazed back at Shifu, who simply nodded. Oogway escorted them out and I couldn't believe this was over so easily. Letting out a sigh, I froze as Shifu turned to me with a puzzled expression.

"Do you know him?" he asked.

"He is the emperor," I replied, feeling rather awkward. Why should he expect I knew him?

"I know that, but have you ever seen him before?" he rephrased and I shook my head no. Why?

"Aachoo!" Viper sneezed and the other three students, I noticed all of a sudden had not been speaking most of the time and had stayed away from me in general. Now, I realized they were sick…

Oogway decided to withdraw them from practice for a while and I spent a few days with Shifu, learning so much, but though imminent danger had passed, I worried about this Tai Lung thing and where my wolf might be. In the rest of my consciousness, I was trying to impress Shifu and restore his old happiness. He seemed to be getting colder and colder, and I didn't like it. He did not praise me anymore, but constantly appraised me with a critical glance, and always, I had to find some way to do better. Practicing and practicing, on one particularly cold day, I felt so melancholy.

Finally, I had a new move I had made up, practicing harder and harder, until I decided to show him today. Meowing little battle noises, I used my light weight and strength in my feet to flip and kick all the way to a training dummy within the training hall, before punching it with one paw, sending the heavy dummy smacking into the wall. Proud for once, I glanced at him for approval at my new move, but using a flute he had taken to carrying around often, he adjusted my step and arm level quickly before moving on. I didn't know where he often went half the time, but I was glad he was gone now, so he did not see the tears. He no longer seemed to love me and I could not discover the reason why.

I practiced even more once he left, but my sorrow made me realize it was no use right now, and I sat down and let the salty tears fall.

"Why are you upset Tigress?" I heard the voice of Oogway as he ploddedup behind me and I ducked my head, feeling ashamed and unwilling to spread my misery and complain of so trivial a thing.

"I know I should be happy and grateful Shifu brought me here, but he doesn't seem to like me anymore. His eyes are so cold when he looks at me, and I don't know why coming here changed him so much. Does he hate me?" I whispered. I truly needed to know, and if he never had like me in the first place, I didn't know what to do, but I would know even less of what to do if he had suddenly stopped.

"No, little one, I'm sure he loves you very much. You once asked him about Tai Lung. He didn't want to tell you, but I think you need to know. It's why he does what he does," Oogway replied and I felt confused at the sudden oppression settling over the air. What could the thing that had attacked the village months before have anything to do with me now?

"Tai Lung was a baby snow leopard that was orphaned and left outside the Jade Palace. Shifu took him in and raised him. Now, there is a scroll called the Dragon Scroll. It brings great power to its wielder. The Dragon Warrior reads the scroll, and he will discover the secret to unlimited power. The Dragon Warrior is one of pure heart, and will stop a great evil from destroying the village. Tai Lung wanted to be just that, and Shifu loved him, believed him, and told him he was destined for greatness. In a way, he raised his hopes too much. This is why he is distancing himself from you,"Oogway finished the long story, but I still could not understand how that could lead to Shifu's painful memories and all the trouble that seemed inevitable to come.

"What's wrong with wanting to be the Dragon Warrior?" I wondered. To gain the secret to unlimited power seemed promising and maybe it would finally make Shifu proud, especially if neither, he, Oogway, or Tai Lung had looked upon it. Well, maybe Oogway had cause he must have made it, but then again, that would make him the Dragon Warrior and he wasn't…This was very confusing.

"The day I determined whether or not he was indeed the chosen one, I found out he wasn't. He did not match my prophecy. Shifu was sad, but he wouldn't argue with me. This sparked Tai Lung's rage. Kept from the thing he had fought so hard to achieve, and even kept away by his master was too much. He took his rage out on the village, though fortunately, nobody died," he admitted and I couldn't believe it. Eve for such a scroll, his own student had attacked the village? "Shifu came back with me to the Moon Pool, which is where it is. Maybe I will show you sometime. Tai Lung burst through the door and raced for the scroll, and Shifu had to stop him…" Oogway continued.

Now, all I could do was gape at him in fright, wondering what could have happened that was so bad? Why would Tai Lung attack Shifu, when he was so nice a master, at least until he saw Tai Lung in me…

"He jumped at him, but couldn't stop the son he had created. Tai Lung broke his leg and sent him flying across the room. As he jumped for the Dragon Scroll, I defeated him by attacking his pressure points. Shifu has never been the same since that. The betrayal of his son hurt him," Oogway finished quietly and I looked at the sad old master for a while. Life could be so tragic and now, I hated Tai Lung, for though he had given Shifu momentary happiness, he was finishing with a lifetime of sorrow. Then I realized that also could pertain to me from his viewpoint and I felt even worse, thinking he could possibly suspect me of something like that.

"I would never betray him," I protested, for that was one thing I was sure I could count myself on doing. Remembering when we first arrived at the Jade Palace, I knew now that Tai Lung had caused his limp and I wondered how he could do such a thing to Shifu for a simple piece of paper. Then again, I reminded myself, it was not simple, but some secret Oogway never told anyone, a power of all powers.

"Tigress, I'm sure he loves you, but his mistakes in the past stop him from showing it. You remind him of Tai Lung, but that is not your fault," he sighed. For a moment I felt disappointed, but that soon passed. At least he could be proud of me. In this life, myself was all I had to offer.

"Then I will make him so proud of me that he has to love me," I vowed with a growl in my voice. I had all my life to live here and he was in a sense, my father, and he had been the first to meet me without fear, help me, and come to love me as a daughter. That, I could never forget.

"When you run the opposite way from destiny, the opposite may no longer be opposite. In that way, destiny is truly destiny. He has been hurt many times Tigress and I would not wish to see him hurt again. Be careful," he sighed and he left me. Did even he think I would someday betray him? No, I would not.

The next days, until the rest of my friends got better from their colds, were filled with sadness and nervousness. I did not know how to act anymore with my two masters, and though I tried hard at my fighting, I never could tell if they were proud of me, for they always acted the opposite. I didn't know how to stand it. I could not just leave this life, but in a sense, I was miserable here, and even more alone than at the orphanage, and I felt more hurt than depression would allow. Oogway showed me the Dragon Scroll and where it lay. Right now, I could never get to it, but I assumed Shifu, Oogway, and Tai Lung could all do it. It was a matter of trust in Oogway, destiny, and each other. Maybe I could earn it, and then Shifu would finally be happy. He never seemed to be anymore, and though we were very detached, I still felt the need to make his life complete again.

It was my birthday again, when my wolf did come for me. Shifu had us working all the time, and though I loved to practice, and I knew I still needed corrections, I hated how Shifu nor anyone else never seemed happy. Viper occasionally talked with me and sometimes in our dormitory, everyone chatted, but while we practiced, not so much. We were practicing flips, which for the others, was a little easier. I was flexible, and being a cat helped, but I was more in the strength area and gravity was not helping. Crane could do all this in the air, and was simply striving for speed. Monkey did this his whole life basically, Mantis was tiny enough and bouncy to do it, and Viper was so smooth she just flicked herself backwards and did a back flip. I was trying hard, but on the ground and without momentum, it was hard to even get my courage up enough to do it.

A sudden scratching at the door sounded and I quickly looked pointedly towards the door. I did not like the attention focused on me and I wanted to postpone my flipping for now. Oogway opened the door, as Shifu had seemingly disappeared, and at first I thought I saw a coyote, but then, I knew it was my wolf.

"Greetings. Who are you?" Oogway asked and I watched the wolf. Though he was older now, and his muzzle and legs were longer, his pelt was still dirty and not very fluffy at all. In fact, he looked like he was covered in remains of brown clay…

"I am Wolf," he said. Cocking my head at that, I thought it was odd and guessed he must have named himself, because if he had found a wolf pack, why would they name him wolf? Oh well, I was Tigress, so I guess he could be Wolf. "My pack is starving and they are split into two. Both sides are warring and mother is caught up in the midst of all this. I was searching for help and heard of the warriors at the Jade Palace. Can you help?" As I listened to his story, it occurred to me that he did have a wolf pack and was named Wolf, and his mother wasn't dead after all. As much as that could be possible, while I watched him, he seemed sincere, but his tail quivered and something more cunning in his eyes told me he was lying…but what could he possibly have to gain?

"Of course we will help you," Oogway replied.

"Where is Shifu?" I quietly asked him. He should be here if we were thinking about helping in a war.

Oogway looked troubled before replying, "He has not left like this since…well, years. He won't be back too soon. We cannot wait for him, so I'll leave him a message and we can go," he turned to address Wolf too.

The others were looking at each other rather excitedly, and I guessed, as it was with me, their first real battle was about to begin. Wolf was staring at me meanwhile with excitement and dismay in his eyes, and I looked back.

"Thank you. Without you, I would never have survived," he murmured to me and Viper glanced from him to me.

"When did you meet before?" she asked. I hadn't told everyone all of my past…

"A long time ago," I replied, "I heard you howling, but I kind of made home here," I confessed as I turned from Viper to Wolf.

"I guessed as much. At first, I assumed anyone could howl if they needed too. I thought you understood it. Now, I suppose, all it meant was a howl, but I am here now. That is good," he told me, but was it me or he seemed to me backing away? Something was troubling him and he had not known I was going to be here, and that seemed to be troubling him too.

"My name is Tigress," I told him and the Viper, Crane, Mantis, and Monkey introduced themselves too. I would have to catch up with him on the past and stuff on the way, and also figure out why he was acting so oddly. Oogway had returned and I wondered how long the journey would be. Obviously Oogway wanted to know too, for he asked Wolf as I thought about it.

"It's about a day over there," Wolf pointed a small paw over the Jade Palace, where I had heard his howls. Outside the Jade Palace, and where I'd never gone before…cool.

We began to walk around the mountain and that way, and we did not talk much. It was early in the evening and I wondered where we would be able to stop for dinner once it got to the time.

"How's your mother?" I asked him. I did not know if this was part of his lie, and if it was it would probably make him awkward. Oh well…

"She's out of trouble for the moment…" he murmured and there was silence once more. We walked for a few hours and occasionally I talked with Viper and Crane, and the others too, but I couldn't wait until we stopped and I could learn more from Wolf. He did not speak and seemed distracted too.

Turns out we stayed at another village to eat, which was good, and stopped to sleep outside it. Maybe we could have traveled all day and all night, but Wolf said nothing, and I was impatient for night fall. By the time everyone else was asleep, the moon was well into the sky and I got up and padded quietly out into the woods to think. Wolf had seemed asleep and I did not wish to wake him. I couldn't. Something was going on, but Wolf obviously didn't seem to want to tell me. Then again, I could easily just be paranoid.

Suddenly, I sensed someone behind me, someone who did not wish me well…more than one someone actually... At the moment one was almost upon me, I ducked and flipped backwards. Wow…training did work right now. Looking at the creature before me, I saw it was a ragged coyote. In fact, it looked very much like Wolf, but the eyes were not the same. They were full of a mindless ferocity and slyness. Though it was dark, I could see well enough and the coat pattern was not the same either. She was much skinnier and taller, though I supposed she was full grown too. With a silent snarl, she launched herself at me, and the strength in her wiry frame surprised me as she rolled me over down the tree-filled hill, snapping at me with quick pointed teeth. Careful to sheathe my claws, I pushed my hind feet under her belly, waited until she was on top, and launched her off me. With a surprised yelp, she cannoned up into a tree and I stopped rolling, springing to my paws, ready to fight off another attack.

Leaping from the tree, she streaked for me, but I easily dodged and pinned her by the scruff to the ground with a paw. Pressing down, I snarled at her, "Who are you? How dare you attack me?" She began to writhe, but I pressed harder, and she let out a low whine and began to pant. Realizing I was crushing the breath out of her, which was entirely pointless if I actually wanted an answer, I let her up. Still wheezing, she lay flat on the ground for a moment and I wearily hoped she was okay. All of a sudden, she sprang to her feet and dashed off.

"No, you don't…," She was very agile and quick, but I pounded after her and herded her back to my companions. Viper, Crane, Monkey, and Mantis awoke fist, followed by Oogway. Crane launched into the air and though the coyote did not notice, Viper strung herself between two trees, Mantis sat on a rock in front of her, and Monkey sat in a tree. As I chased her, Mantis timed the run perfectly, stabbing one of his pincher…claws...whatever, into her paw pad. With a yelp, she staggered and tripped over Viper, tumbling head over heels. Monkey swung and lightly kicked her the other way so she would not go rolling down the hill, and Crane swooped down to pin her scruff to the ground. Oogway looked at her with surprise, but continued toward her, and I hoped he would not hurt her. She seemed desperate. She wrenched herself free of Crane and before he could pin her down again, she was on her feet with a growl. Growling back, I crouched ready to catch her again. This slippery trouble would not get the better of me, and if I had to hurt her to keep her still, I would.


	7. Dissaray

The female coyote crouched wearily, bobbing her head from side to side as she searched for a way out. Sensing she was afraid of all of us together, almost as if she knew who we were, I whispered to my friends. I wanted to talk to her alone.

"Leave," I mewed.

"What?" Monkey protested. Oogway did not stop as he approached her, but my friends thankfully left, still throwing curious glances over their shoulders. I scented for the other number of intruders that must have been watching the fight, before remembering as Shifu told me once not to search by scent alone, but feel and hear. Twisting to the undergrowth around me, I felt with my paws, listened with my ears, and searched with my heart. Yes. There were more, and their rapid quiet pace, low growls, and malevolent disposition reached to me. Something was going on that we had never prepared for, never thought of, and I feared it may be too late when we figured it out. Where was Wolf?

"Why do you come here?" Oogway focused his bright wise gaze on the eyes of the coyote, but she refused to look at him.

"I cannot tell you," she whispered. Before I could turn again, I saw a flash of grey and brown out of the corner of my eye, and finally turned to see my Wolf launch himself over Oogway to land on the ground beside our prisoner and roughly shake her scruff in his jaws. She gave a high pitched yelp of fear before he tossed her roughly to the ground.

"You will answer us!" he snarled with flashing eyes of anger and picking up a fist sized rock, I quickly hurled it in the direction of the milling multitude of coyotes. Their faint yelps as they raced off was good enough for me and I walked over to stand by Wolf.

"Your companions are easily scared off," I told her, "They will not hear you if you speak now."

"Not all," she muttered and Wolf immediately bit harder into her neck fur. Her wail was almost piteous, and I growled warningly at Wolf.

"Stop it. She will tell us nothing with you hurting her," I hissed. He backed away slowly, but I felt his fur bristle angrily as he sat down next to me.

"They are not my pack. I was cast out, and you all looked like you could spare food for me," she shamefully muttered. Somehow, I could not bring myself to believe her, but her desperation and fear convinced me. Her words could lie, but her emotions could not. She must just be shy…

"Stealing is not the way to go about such," I warned her, "But you may eat. There is food in those packs," I flicked my tail towards a few packs that held bread, some fruit, and rice that would have to be boiled. As we'd left, Monkey and Crane had carried them. Oogway had an interested expression as she watched her and Wolf have a sigh and treaded off to my friends. They were waiting with mild countenance, watching the coyote as she ate her fill and curled up by a tree. We had only precious hours before morning and I yawned ready for sleep. As I curled up, I felt Wolf's warm fur press against me, and his heaving flanks as he slept. Comforted by my friend, I drifted into dreamland.

When we woke up, the female coyote was gone, but I was not surprised. So was Wolf. That concerned me. Then, I saw he was speaking with Oogway far off from where we had settled down. Obviously they had not meant to be overheard. Shaking my head confusedly, I prodded Viper with a paw and she woke up, stretched her long body gracefully, and then woke up the others too.

"Things seem…strange," she admitted.

"Tell me about it," muttered Mantis.

Wolf and Oogway returned and Wolf announced it was time to go and the anxious look on his face made me regret we had slept the night away rather than hurrying towards his homeland.

Scurrying in the bushes told me once more, we were not alone, and I quickly growled, "There are more than us here." Then, as I padded along, I came to a small bundle of cloth flat with tiny wooden shavings strewn atop it. It smelled like sake, and I ignored it before coming to another. Then, I stopped.

Without warning, the forest erupted into fire. It seemed to be in a pattern and Oogway yelled for the first time possibly, "Tigress, move!"

I backed away from the small bundle as it erupted into flame, caught on by the flame that had been trailing towards it. Crane could not fly, for the trees above were on fire too, and he would not just leave us like this. Oogway was whirling his staff like mad, as if trying to counteract the fire with wind, but it was too strong and only hungrily ate the air, growing larger and wilder than before.

"Tigress, where are you?," Wolf howled above the furious crackling and I felt a wave of fear as the fire came closer. It was so hot and dry, and the smoke mad me lungs ache, but the fire was so beautiful and I walked towards the wall of flame, dazed. Then, I paused, realizing Wolf must be on the other side. This fire was purposely planned, I thought, and saw the female coyote peering through the wisps of fire, and her jaws sneered into a look I had never seen. It was evil and terrible, with sharp teeth and laughter. "Fools to believe me. Now you will burn," she cackled. With a sudden blaze of anger at her, for getting my family, Wolf, and me in such danger, I launched myself at the bare patch on a burning tree, kicked off, sending the tree toppling, and leapt over the wall of flame. Her eyes turned to fear as I streaked down to her, claws unsheathed, and sank my claws into her back. The agonized screech and immediate thrashing of her body told me I had missed the spine and I was relieved.

"You will regret what you have done," I hissed in her ear and as she struggled, I flipped her easily on her side and pinned her firmly before pressing my claws along a long tendon on the back of her leg. She immediately froze and I pressed harder, her fear scent coming off of her faster now. She knew if I decided to sever it, she could never run again, and I don't think that idea appealed to her tiny mind very much.

"Tell me the real reason why you are here," I insisted, but her mouth clamped shut, though her eyes were frantic with real fear this time. I flicked a claw, drawing a shallow cut over the leg and she nearly jumped out of her skin. I would not be so cruel as to cripple her for life, but she did not know that. Suddenly a burning pain in my tail made me jump off her and I couldn't see what was wrong at first, but then I realized the fire had grown and my rail was orange with it. Blowing it out, I turned to see she was gone and I wondered how on earth I could put out the fire to let my family escape. Then, rain seemed to fall like magic. At first I thought it was not enough, but it gradually began to our harder and faster, and reveling in it, I ran.

I was tracking that coyote, but then amidst my anger, I realized I had to make sure my friends were alright and where was Wolf if he had called to me from outside the wall of flame? Well, not really a wall, because I realized it must have been a complete circle of burning flame if that coyote had wanted us to be trapped…or die.

"Wolf?" I called hopefully, heading back to the scorched ground, coughing a little from all the smoke I had inhaled. The water was soothing though, and I gratefully lifted my head to the sky and closed my eyes. Wonderful…

"I am here. What happened? Why was there a fire?" I gaped at him in surprise and realized he must have left before the fire started.

"Where were you?" I asked. I was still farther ahead, leading the way," he reminded me, "This seems so random." His genuine confusion made me feel sorry for him and I looked at him.

"Don't worry. Everyone is alright. That coyote that was here last night used accelerants to make a circle of fire and even burned the trees. I was lucky to escape before the rain came," I admitted, "She escaped and I have no idea how she managed to even start the fire in the first place…" I realized he had stopped listening and a fury came over his eyes and I worried for a second. He turned after her trail, but I called, "Wait, don't leave yet. The others were still trapped and I need you to help me make sure they are all right." That was not necessarily true, but I did need him, but for an entirely different reason. He comforted me and I had no idea what I would do if I found anyone dead. Ogway, I was sure would survive, for he was the master of Kung Fu after all. I wasn't sure about the others though and I needed to see them with my own eyes.

"Alright," he nodded a little reluctantly, but seemed to understand, and I whispered a thanks to him as we raced quickly through the soothingly cool rain to search through the burn debris and floating ashes.

"Tigress, is that you?" Viper coughed and relieved, I hurried over.

"Yes, where are the others?" I asked and she slowly led me to them. Crane was alright, having been able to at least fly for fresh air. Mantis had hidden in a hole underground, using grass to strain excess smoke. Monkey was unconscious though and I was surprised Viper was okay. Oogway looked confused and annoyed as Wolf rejoined us, and I felt a little guilty, knowing I had escaped most of the smoke by leaving the fire alone. I shuddered. What if the rain had not come?

"Wake Monkey up," I told Mantis, "We must keep moving."

And so we did. We would probably arrive by tomorrow if we slept the whole night, Wolf said and he was worried. I tried to protest and tell him we had already wasted enough time and if we wanted to stop this war and save his mother, we should get there as fast as possible. He shook his head no though, saying It was so far along already and we would be no use half asleep from being awake and traveled two days straight.

It did take awhile and I was anxious to help, but Wolf stopped us before we were close to the place. We would not want to announce our presence to them, he explained and as it was getting dark again at night, they would trust us more if we came in daylight. I had no idea how he could wait and let his family and friends die like this, but I knew there was no sense going in alone. I could probably win the battle alone, but neither Oogway nor my friends would approve.

The moon was nearly full and in the center of the sky when I woke to the sounds of bitter scuffling. The overpowering stench of coyote made me spring to my feet, but they raced off in an odd waving pattern and I gazed after them to make sure they did not return before fretfully falling asleep. When I woke, my comrades were up already and something was wrong.

The only one whom I could not tell was here was Wolf and anxiously, I called his name, but there was no reply and the sound of scuffling was soon lost among the other forest nights and perhaps it was over too. We had already been stopped before, twice actually, by that crazy coyote, and I wondered why she wouldn't want us to join the double-sided wolf war. If she had killed Wolf, she would pay.

"He's not here," Oogway calmly said, and yet his features seemed troubled, though I was looking at him in the darkness of the night. "This seems so strange that we are attacked by coyotes after he is with us, and now he is gone."

"Wolf didn't leave with them," I protested. What would he have to gain? Besides, I heard the sound of struggle. He must have been taken." Though that sounded equally unlikely, I was sure Wolf would not abandon us. I never knew of his past before, but I was sure that we were still friends and friends did not betray each other.

"Tigress, it could have been a ruse. You must admit, he was pretty jumpy while he was here," Viper touched my arm softly with her tail and though she was trying to be soothing, I couldn't help snapping back at her.

"Well of course he was jumpy! While I knew him, he was nearly killed several times by strangers and he had to hang around several kung fu warriors for days," I protested angrily and she momentarily shied away. Regretful of my tone, I closed my mouth and shook my head softly, "I have to see what really happened. I'm not going to lose him again."

"I do not believe his story, but you are right that we should see what is going on. Whatever this is, it is definitely not simple," Oogway murmured.

"He is headed this way," I pointed as I picked up the scent, "and with that coyote that set the forest on fire," I frowned.

"Blood has been spilled," Crane announced as he spotted several drops of red blood and I knew my Wolf was hurt and I had to rescue him before I lost him again, this time forever.

"I think we should wait 'till daylight," Monkey yawned and I glared at him.

"What if he is in trouble?"

"Then, his captors would expect us to be sleepy at night and blundering around, trying to find him," Mantis put in and I ruefully had to agree that this was a true statement. Nevertheless, when Oogway and the others settled back down to sleep, my eyes were wide awake. What was Wolf up to? Whatever it was, it appeared to have backfired or something because it seemed that this was a definitely complicated plan. Why couldn't he tell me? I know we had been separated for a few years, but surely we were still friends. I had to know the truth.

Launching myself into the air, I landed softly in one of the highest trees. Some of the first lessons Shifu had taught me helped here. When you don't want to be noticed, leave the ground and jump for the sun or in this night case, the moon). I had seen how high he could jump and he was considerably smaller. I had jumped for the moon, and I was in one of the middle branches of the higher trees. Then, I decided this would be my pathway. I could fallow the tracks of the coyote and presumably dragged along wolf up here. My agility and balance was good and I had bounded through trees many times before, but as I had learned, kung fu students do not practice until they get it right; they practice until they never get it wrong.

I ran through the trees, all the sleepiness leaving my body as I gave tremendous jumps from tree to tree, using speed and momentum to take me around twists in the branches, and when the edge of the forest was gone, I leaped into a final arc. What I saw nearly made me fall. A huge campground of coyotes stretched out along a hilly wasteland. Trash was littered everywhere and Wolf was in the center of a hundred sly brown faces. If he was not in immediate trouble, I would attack by morning. Then, my family would not be in danger and we would win. Confident, I landed in a quick roll and remained crouched, ears perked and muscles tensed in case someone had seen me. No one had, and keeping my eyes on the lone wolf figure, I watched until my eyes closed and I plunged into dark sleep.

When dawn arose, I yawned, stretched, and got ready to fight, before something heavy landed on my back and I fell with a huff. Scrambling from under the dead weight, I turned to glare up into the trees and was surprised to see and equally surprised face peering back at me.

"Tigress, where are the others?" my master asked . Stunned, I looked defensively back at him and asked, "Why did you drop a dead coyote on me?" He growled. "He is unconscious actually, and I thought you would be with the others."

"No, I am attacking early. Wolf needs me," I told him. Wolf was still in the center of the coyote campgrounds as I took another peek, and he was awake.

"Wolf does not need you anymore," Shifu shook his head regretfully.

"Why?" I protested, and he hesitated. He did not want to tell me bad news, I knew, and as he stayed quiet, I repeated again, "Shifu, why? I thought we were supposed to help people."

"You never asked me how I found you," Shifu sighed, "the coyote I dropped on you turns out to have a tongue that can be persuaded to talk very easily. In short, Wolf has never needed your help. His very hostage type situation could all be a ruse. It probably is," he finished. "I will not betray his secrets. We will rescue him because these coyotes threaten our lives, but we will cause minimum damage and if he should turn on you, you must fight," he warned me before I could speak.

Very well then. I nodded. I would ask Wolf about what was really happening when the fight was over.

Shifu padded down from the tree and I watched as he walked right into the coyote camp. What the heck was he doing? Frozen in horror, I watched as the coyotes turned and stared at him, before snarling with fully bared fangs, and I tensed, read to help should he be ripped to shreds. Wolf was staring at him too, but he had never seen Shifu, so he did not know that was who he was. Slowly creeping up behind the coyotes, towards Wolf's bound paws, I could hear Shifu and he spoke in a commanding voice.

"One of your coyote scouts is under hostage. You must release yours if you wish to have him back." I tensed, knowing that coyote scout was probably about to wake up, but he knew it too, so he must have a plan… Reaching out a paw to quickly clamp over Wolf's muzzle, I kept him quiet, though he thrashed to get away from my grasp, making it quite difficult to bite through his binding. There was blood from a nasty hit on the back of his head and I figured he must have been struck unconscious. I nipped his paws a few times before I could chew through the rope that held his forepaws together. Once his paws were free, he stopped struggling as he realized he was being helped, and it was much easier to bite through the second rope that tied his hind feet together.

"Prove that you have this prisoner!" a large greyer male coyote snapped, and I realized he was alpha. The beta female was standing slightly behind him, but I knew it was she, the one we had captured earlier. She also had no knowledge of Shifu so far, as she had only seen us, but she must have heard of him surely?

"He has no name because you do not wish any of your attackers to give their names up. You are trying to rid the Jade Palace inhabitants because the criminals we rid run and sometimes arrive here, making these hills a wasteland. You," he snarled at the beta female, "set fire to the forest and should burn in your own hatred. Need I say more?"

"I think you talk too much," the alpha coyote growled contemptuously, and sitting back he motioned to the ten guards stationed around him. They were larger than average and certainly trained, as they fanned out in a pattern that protected their leader and advanced themselves toward him. I always had felt nervousness for Shifu in a fight, but I learned not to underestimate him. He must have known I was still here, because he flicked an ear in a gesture that I should go. Taking Wolf, I led him up to where we had been before. Silently ignoring his sheepish slump, I gazed down at my teacher.

As two coyotes darted in to the side of him, he ducked, grabbed the first chargers hind leg, and flung him off into the coyote crowd, who scattered. Parrying a few blows from the second, he leaped off his head and gave a few quick sharp kicks to one coyote who thought it best to attack from behind. Dropping, he spun a leg out to trip the coyote whose head he had used, jabbed a fist behind his skull to knock him out, and flipped to his hands to split kick and sent two more flying. The other five quickly ganged up on him, but he twisted and moved with great skill and immediately sent three more rolling in the dust after a few punches. The two he had kicked came running back for more, and as he dodged out of the way, the two who were still attacking him were put in the way of the charging ones.

As the coyote guards woke up and all were trying to find their paws, he calmly walked through them and stared before the glaring coyote leader. The beta lunged at him, but he easily leaped backwards and with a flip, kicked her in the jaw and sent her rolling to a dead stop where Wolf had been. The alpha stared with fury at the empty spot and before he could turn back to Shifu, he had one hand clamped around the base of his neck and he thrust him down to the ground in a wolf domination way.

"I have gone easy on your guards, but why should I on such a foolish leader?" He had him pinned down, but I could see he would not kill him, just as he had not tried hard to beat those ten coyotes. "I could snap your neck in an instant, but I doubt the others would you call a pack would pay attention if I did. Though who know why they listen to you? Leave this place. Find hills with actual green grass that you could settle in. You have become criminals now and if anyone attacks you, they will probably show less sympathy to you than I have," he snarled.

The alpha tried to squirm away, but I saw one of Shifu's fingers move in an odd jerking movement, but that small motion made the coyote's body spasm in pain and yelp higher than I had ever heard Wolf.

"Leave," Shifu growled, and the coyote reluctantly nodded before Shifu threw him to slide on his furry butt along the ground. Getting up, the alpha led his shivering pack as they raced away. Tigress noticed, with disgust, they even abandoned their beta.

"They used to be strong once," Wolf mentioned in my ear and I turned to him.

"So you really were with them." Hurt and anger piled up inside me. He had betrayed me always. He never had wanted me, and he only came back to steal my family from me.

"Yes," he admitted, "But I-"

Pain and hatred smoldered in my heart and I screeched, "Get out!" Slashing at him with outstretched claws, I felt satisfaction as they left red grooves in his muzzle and he scrambled backwards with a yelp. "Try to touch my family again, and I will kill you!" I hissed.


	8. The Chosen One?

_Was I an outcast, a lone wolf now? It certainly appeared as if I was. The coyote family who had taken me in betrayed me as I betrayed them in a way which barely made sense to me. Tigress, my protector, who saved me as a pup, shunned me now and I knew I had hurt her so very much. The sting and red wetness on my muzzle hurt, but not as much as it did to lose everything I'd hoped for, dreamed for. And her cold eyes were there always there, in my head and my dreams and my heart. My life was hers._

"I cannot and I wouldn't if I could. Do what you will with me, I will not leave you again," Wolf dared to look up at me, but he changed instantly from his whimpering reaction of fright and dismay to a calm and steady lone wolf. Surely he was a lone wolf, he had never been anything else if that night so long ago he had truly been howling with coyotes. My fury was subsiding though I tried to recall it. After so much worry, he did not deserve my forgiveness. How could I after his lies, his willingness to stay with a pack that killed families?

Even then, I found with guilt, that was my fault too. If I had not lost the young pup to the river, he would have been with me and eventually came to the Jade Palace, I realized. As I looked at him now, I could see he was not such a scrawny young cub. I hadn't noticed as much when he arrived, covered in coyote clay to look like one of them and still quite small for his species. His long wiry legs tapered out to large feet, promising at least a little more size. Sincerity and endurance showed on his countenance and I knew I forgave him, but he could not stay with me. I knew where I belonged. He just had to find out where he did.

"You are a long way from any wolf pack I know of," Shifu filled in the silence and I could see a questioning look about him.

"I belong…belonged with the coyotes. I still owe a debt to them as my temporary family and they do not intend to be evil. Just a few dark souls reside within their midst. I did betray them anyway…"Wolf sighed, "I searched for a wolf pack once. They did not accept me and were too close of a family for me to just intrude upon. Let me come with you," he importuned, his eyes willing me to let him come.

"You don't even know our home. You were barely there…"Why would he throw himself into a life he'd never known, was so unnatural to him?

"I have nowhere else to go," he replied simply.

"My place is not with you," I firmly told him. It would be sad to let him go after wondering about him so long, but I still wasn't at ease with him and he would not belong. His life was so open to possibility, I could not take that away from him.

"Shifu?" Oogway made me jump as I heard his voice and I could see Monkey, Viper, Crane, and Mantis just arriving.

"It is time to return. Everything has been settled..almost," he glanced meaningfully at me. Shifu was right. I must settle this. As I watched him momentarily, I realized he was being less distant, but he showed no warmth toward me anymore. But I could deal with it.

"Find a wolf pack and be happy. They should be honored to accept you," I told Wolf and his reluctance and sadness pained me, but he understood I didn't want him and he could find a new life, free of the coyotes. After Shifu giving the alpha coyote a taste of his own medicine, I doubted they would be anywhere near here for a long long time.

"Good bye then. Do not forget me," he looked anxiously into my eyes and I knew it was important. If I forgot, he would feel it, he would know. I would not forget him.

"Good bye," I saw he knew the resolve in my eyes and he knew I would not forget. His body wavered as he turned his head, but he padded off on light wolf paws without looking back. As I watched, he moved farther and farther away, until distance swallowed my sight of him and I had let my Wolf go.

"Come, let us go," Shifu told us, but I wanted to wait for Wolf, to at least hear his howl once more.

"But Shifu…" I began to protest.

"From now on, Master Oogway and I will be referred to as 'Master', am I clear?" his voice was slightly distant, as if he had been reminded of something in the past as he had watched this go on.

"Yes Shi-Master Shifu," I finished and he turned from me, though Oogway glanced back to beckon us.

"We must return," Master Oogway told us and we fallowed, though at a slightly slower speed so that we could talk together.

"What happened?" Monkey was full of curiosity, but I shook my head.

"I would prefer not to talk about it."

"What was Shifu talking about the master stuff?" Mantis asked after a pause of silence and I shrugged. I knew perfectly well, but I wasn't sure I wanted to tell them yet. It would probably just make everything more confusing and hard than it already was.

"Maybe he's just having a bad day," Crane suggested.

"After listening to him, you'd think every day was a bad day," Mantis snorted.

"Maybe it is," I muttered.

"Well, it's certainly been a long day," Viper sighed and I didn't feel physically exhausted, but at her words, I just wanted to sleep so that I could avoid the complications of the living for at least a few hours.

It took a couple days of travel to reach the Jade Palace again and I found training, as it started up again, was still difficult, but getting increasingly so and we were struggling. Master Shifu became less of a father and mentor, but more as if he was in the emperor's army or at least, he was acting stiff and just mean…

I knew I couldn't bring him back to the way he was. Oogway couldn't or wouldn't visit often and I missed his friendly talk and I longed not to keep my tongue bottled up inside my head as Shifu tolerated our questions or even friendly conversation less and less. I began to wonder if sending Wolf away was the right thing, but I realized I was being selfish, and only missed him in this way so I had someone to talk to. Viper was friendly to me and so were the others, but we were finding it harder than ever to get any free time to talk to each other between learning how to fight, practicing, doing rigorous and extremely hard training, eating, and getting quickly into bed for a good night's sleep.

In an interesting kind of way, I hated the hard work and being around Shifu when he seemed always so mad and displeased, but I loved the almost out of body experience of fighting and constant motion of training. I was getting so much stronger and better, but I missed the regular village life and after the days began to dim, I was miserable. The only things I could look forward to were the long term, Shifu eventually looking like he was proud of me; and the short term, sleep. We were all looking forwards to sleep at the end of the day, retiring quickly to our rooms with little talk, exhausted both mentally and physically. We woke up early, but not too early that it would be dark out.

It had been a couple years before I realized the only thing I could look forward to was to make Shifu proud and I strove with all my might. I decided to tell my friends and training companions about the Dragon Scroll at least, but found I had to compete stealthily for it with them. We were not hostile with each other, but strove more and more for perfection nonetheless. Soon, I was immersed into what I was realizing was becoming my obsession, but I couldn't care less. If this was the goal of my life, then so be it. It's not like anyone here was going to criticize me about it anyway. I found a little spare time at night, and so I also found a special place after milling around the palace grounds.

I found the Pool of Sacred Tears. When I first saw it, I was annoyed I had ran up so many stairs for water and moss, but I found it was much bigger than that, in both a physical and spiritual way. I meditated there and found it calming. The waters were beautiful and I didn't dare to touch it, though I was willing to bet many had before me. I was up there the night that Wolf came back. "Aaawooooooo!

Aowwwwwwwoooooo!" He didn't literally come back. I had the sense he never would, but his voice reached my ears. He was very far away, I could tell, but I loved to listen to the sound of his voice. After listening again, I wondered why he chose to howl so close. What was he trying to tell me? His howls were beautiful and haunting, but I could not find words in them. Not yet. But I tried.

_Do you think of me friend?_

_ My voice to you I send, _

_But why do you remain silent?_

_ I know I hurt you, __I hu__rt me too. _

_But answer me so I know you _

_Are well my friend, are well._

The second song was the longest and I loved to listen to the beautiful melody.

_I am dying friend, but you are silent. _

_Silent as night, do you not remember me? _

_Can you not come visit me?_

_ They would not accept me, you did._

_ But you said they would, they did not._

_ I was too persistent, now I need you. _

_ They have killed me friend, my one _

_Why do you deny me, I thought, _

_Thought you forgave me my friend. _

_ If you cannot come, I will come_

_ I am dying in despair, at least answer _

_Dying in black, in red, in pain, please friend, please. _

_ Help me one last time, I promise. _

_I never meant to hurt you, but you've hurt me now. _

_The black is coming but I am faster. I will come to you._

I could not understand his songs, but I went up the next night, and there was no son. I waited and waited, but he did not call. Morning came and the whole day, I practiced badly and Master Shifu yelled more at me, and I paid for it, I did. But still he did not call. The next night I could barely hear it. He must be very far away. This time I heard a howl, his voice, his song; but this time it was different, and it was terrible and it was sad.

"Aawooo," a sad plaintive little howl from far away, or so I thought, accompanied by a few more that became breathless and ran out. It had never happened before and it never happened at all. It must have been a dream because I found I could understand it all.

_Too late my friend _

_To Lupus I ascend _

_Thank you for everything. _

_ It hurts it hurts _

_My love spurts _

_To the ground with my blood. _

_ So close, so far_

_ Look to the star _

_Of morning when I die. _

I understood the words, but now I could not understand him. I must be dreaming, but I realized that wolf song must have special meaning and if I listened with my heart I could truly understand. In his song, I knew I would be able to understand from his words. I could not go see him though, not now when I had to try to continue my life as normally as possible. He would be fine, right?

He had to be. Years after that, I had not forgotten, and I sat staring up at the moon from the roof of our sleeping place. I had tried not to think of such things as I grew up, but only focused mostly on the present. Oogway had ended up telling all of us about the Dragon Scroll and the Dragon Warrior in more detail and I vowed to be that one. I was glad that even Master Shifu had began to believe in me and he too expected that I would be the chosen one, that I alone could bring honor to myself and my family, and make everyone else forget my past. I didn't know where Wolf was, what truly happened to him or did not happen, but I was sure I did not need him for this, and this was most important after all. I could no longer call Master Shifu baba or even think of him in that respect. He was simply my master now and nothing more. His ties had long been severed from any of his other students, but especially me. I might have seemed somewhat special to him now because I was sure I was to be named the Dragon Warrior, but I wondered if even after that, he would love me any better.

After what had happened with him and Tai Lung, I wanted to be his daughter and maybe if I could please him by bringing honor to my adoptive family and ridding China of this coming evil, he would finally be proud of me and love me. The day came when I knew something was different, I could just feel it in the air. Viper, Crane, Monkey, and Mantis were still asleep, but I was wide awake and ready. A brilliant shooting star blazed overhead and I watched its flaming white shape with awe. It seemed to promise a new light, a new hope, and I wanted it. As dawn began to rise and I heard the stretching and awakening of my companions, I dove off the roof quickly and raced inside, into my room, and waited until Master Shifu would come in.

It happened like this every morning and it was mostly because we needed "encouragement" to wake up very early in the morning. We didn't need it anymore now, because we naturally woke p this early, but it had become routine and so we were used to his presence. Right when the first rays of dawn began to shine through our windows, we popped out immediately, with a ,"Good morning, Master Shifu."

"Good morning Furious Five…" We were used to him addressing us so, since the villagers had nicknamed us that after all our battles and demonstrations and stuff. It kind of stuck and we kind of liked it, not to mention we didn't have any other collective name all five of us could agree on. "Practice as you will today." I flicked my ears up with surprise at that. We didn't usually get a day of practice we could run ourselves and I wondered what he was up to. As he left, we exchanged a few looks and nodded amongst ourselves. Unanimously, we decided to wait and fallow him.

As the morning progressed and we had trained in the Training Hall a while and did other private training alone, we gathered around noon and talked.

"This isn't like him. Suppose we just see what he's doing?" Mantis suggested.

"There's no way we can sneak up on him and get away," Crane reminded him tactfully, but I came up with a plan that might be able to get us off.

"What if we pretended it was an attack? How could he find fault with us if he thought it was part of our training?" I asked.

"You really think that will work? And should we trick him like that?" Viper added doubtfully.

"It won't have to be a trick, because we technically are practicing," I insisted. I had decided it would be a good plan, and I wanted to make sure everyone agreed with me. I wanted to know what was up and I couldn't just do this alone.

"Alright, who wants to try to track him though?" Monkey muttered and I mulled that over for a moment. If he didn't want to be found, he could leave and never be found again. I doubted he was doing this, but he could have a reason for wanting to be alone. I hoped there was no danger we didn't know about. He was a solo daredevil when it came to that.

He had made it surprisingly easy though and I realized that he didn't expect us to come looking for him and he wasn't trying to conceal where he was going. At first, as I tracked him to his bedroom, I paused and hoped he wasn't inside. He certainly wouldn't appreciate it is we jumped him there. No, his scent trail led to the training hall again, precisely where we didn't meet, and I could see him under a tree.

No, I heard him. Beautiful notes were shimmering from a flute, and I guessed hemust have gone back to his bedroom to get it. I wondered why he was playing, when I had never heard him before, but he would realize we were here soon, and to cover up our spying, we would have to act quickly. Frozen momentarily by the sweet song, I could feel the sadness in it and wondered if he was just feeling sentimental. Changing my mind immediately after thinking of like, the last twenty years, I motioned to the rest of the Furious Five to spread out. Monkey gave me a quick glance, and we darted off, hidden behind the trees. As the song seemed to draw to an end, I realized he did indeed know that we were here. He had the best hearing I'd ever seen…

Giving a tremendous and practiced leap from the top of the roof, I arced to the ground and raced on all four paws at him, though Viper got there first. Already, he deflected her with his flute, and as I attacked, he managed to defend himself with a sharp kick and keep going to fend off the rest of his students. Flipping back to my feet, I watched as the others tried and I aimed for a punch to either distract or catch him unaware. It didn't work, but he used an interesting method to deflect my attack and as I felt my weight behind the punch continue, he flipped me, so my momentum made me twirl harmlessly out of his path. Crane's attack was last and we gave it up quickly, pausing for breath as he stood in the middle of us. I wasn't sure if this was a ruse, so we stood prepared until he said, "Well done students…" Relaxing slightly, we punched our fists to our palms and bowed our heads in a signal of respect that he had quickly taught us. I was still surprised he thought it really was a surprise attack and hadn't known we had been trying to spy on him…

"If you were trying to disappoint me, Tigress, you need more ferocity," he snapped his flute to point at me and I lowered my gaze in acceptance. "Monkey, greater speed; Crane, height; Mantis,-" he never got to finish his lecture, for Zeng, our goose messenger had popped up next to him and spoke. He was quite alright, apart from the fact he was scared out of his feathers when he faced Master Shifu.

"Master Shifu," he tentatively said.

"What?" he snapped. He didn't enjoy being interrupted, or much of anything anymore…Anyway, he made poor Zeng jump with a squawk of fear.

"It's Master Oogway. He wants to see you," he stammered and I flicked my ears in surprise. This was very unusual and I hardly ever saw the old tortoise anymore. What could he want now? Master Shifu dashed off anyway, and Zeng nervously flew after him in his little frightened spurty jump flights.

"So…what now?" Monkey sat down and looked confused as I felt.

"Just wait for him to come back," Viper advised him and I gave a nod before sitting down myself. Mantis sighed and we sat for a period of silence. He would eventually come back and I wanted to know what Oogway had to say. I knew that if we were caught spying on him this time, we would be in a lot of trouble. So…we waited and waited, and when he did come, I knew there was trouble. I tried in my mind to think back and see if we had done anything wrong, but he didn't look angry at us…though, it was hard to know what he was angry at sometimes.

"What did Master Oogway want?" I asked him. I might as well, and if he didn't tell us, I wasn't sure what to do.

"He has learned that Tai Lung will return and we must name the Dragon Warrior. Meet us in the courtyard in half an hour," I could barely think of a reply, with my thoughts whirling in circles. I could be the Dragon Warrior and save us all! But if I did, I would have to kill his son, and even though Tai Lung had hurt him and I despised him for it, I knew Master Shifu could not forgive me if I did… Besides, he did not seem fearful of Tai Lung's impending arrival, only uncertain for everyone's welfare, and incredibly sad.

"Why don't we all go fight him? Surely all of us will have a greater chance of defeating him," Mantis suggested, but I already knew the answer. Besides, many had faced Tai Lung before and with others, that just made more targets.

"No, it is the Dragon Warrior's destiny to do this," he snapped before turning from us and heading off, I guessed to meet up with Oogway again. I was ready, I knew I was. This was the day I had been waiting for years upon years. We didn't really know what to say amongst us, but I sensed there would be a big presentation in the village if we were going down to the courtyard for Oogway to decide who would be the Dragon Warrior.

Half an hour later, I felt dizzy on my paws, but I went up on the roof of one of the buildings to wait.

"What are you doing Tigress?" Viper hissed in confusion and I responded, "Entering in style."

When I was chosen for the Dragon Warrior honor, I wanted to be remembered. Already, in so short of a time, almost the entire village population was here and we were waiting to begin, decorations flying everywhere.

"Let the tournament begin!" a pig boomed and I exchanged a startled glance with a few of my companions, who had joined me up here too. Tournement?

"Citizens of the Valley of Peace, it is my honor to present to you, Tigress, Viper, Crane, Monkey, Mantis, The Furious Five!" Master Shifu announced, and bunching my muscles, I leapt high in the air, back flipped in the rushing wind, and struck a quick balancing tai chi move. Flipping in an extraordinarily fast and flexible maneuver, I slowed my descent to land softly on one foot. Striking an attack pose, I flipped in a blur of feet, crouched dangerously, and stood with my fiercest expression. I was ready to win!

"Warriors prepare, ready for battle!" I watched with vague interest as Master Shifu announced my friends and they gave short but fancy demonstrations of their power. Finally, it was my turn.

"And finally, Master Tigress. Believe me, citizens, you have not seen anything yet. Master Tigress face Iron Ox and his Blades of Death," he announced. I had practiced this before, so with relative ease, I made a show of quickly dodging the spinning metal blades, and sending strong strikes to smash the contraption to bits. It could be repaired, and with a final flip, I twirled to dodge the last blade and kicked the Iron Ox's head off with a splintering crash. As I defeated it and everyone cheered, I heard a gasp and Master Oogway spoke.

"I sense the Dragon Warrior is among us." Finally! I was the last one to go, and in a sense, supposed, they had saved the best for last. I would be the best, the one to save our home, and bring peace to my father.


	9. Code Destroy Panda

My friends and I lined up quickly, as we had planned, and I momentarily wondered how life would go on with me as the Dragon Warrior. In bringing honor to my father, for ridding him of the problem he himself created, and bringing honor to myself, in defeating such a famous evil character of legend, I had given up my family, Wolf, and now would I have to do so with my friends and training companions? We had never been the most loquacious of friends, but we had developed a strong bond, and if I was chosen, that meant their four dreams were failed as well. And yet, even knowing that, I couldn't help feeling anxious as Master Oogway slowly descended among us; I still wanted my life to have meant something, for me to mean something.

"Citizens of the Valley of Peace, Master Oogway will now choose the Dragon Warrior," Master Shifu announced, much to the applause of the many watchers of this historical moment. I wondered how he felt about this, and even more if he still felt anything for the snow leopard who had once been his son. Tai Lung had stolen his love from me and I knew that had none of my past events that condemned me actually happened, everything might have changed and in a way, this life was for the better. I didn't want the villagers hurt either, and it didn't hurt that they would remember my name through history as she who defeated the menace of the valley. Surely they had been warned Tai Lung was coming…or they would not be so enthusiastic now, would they? As Master Oogway slowly came closer, I was only aware of my frantic desire for this, my power finally to be matched against the haunting terror of the valley, when through my thumping heartbeat, I heard a loud yelling. I looked up once, and just in time, to see a huge black and white blur streak from the sky. Rather ungracefully and painfully looking, it hit the ground at full speed and lay there unmoving. Was it dead? I assumed it had been alive… Gradually, I came out of my delirium and stared at what was now obviously a large panda, smelling of smoke and probably unconscious.

"Oh…what's going on?" he moaned and I wondered if he seriously did not know he was in the middle of a historical golden event or he had his brains dashed out in his fall. "Where, uh, what are you pointing…? Oh, okay, sorry. I just wanted to see who the Dragon Warrior was." So did I.

"How interesting," Master Oogway murmured and I finally decided to intervene before the two got sidetracked and the old turtle started a whole conversation with the flabby peasant.

"Master, are-are you pointing at me?" I asked carefully. I was so sure he was about to say yes, I was the Dragon Warrior.

"Him." Astounded, I jerked back in surprise. What? He was serious…I mean, come on, this was a joke, right? Narrowing my eyes at him as he moved back and forth, as if trying to get out of range of the turtle's pointing claw, I wondered how he could be the Dragon Warrior if I dropkicked him off the mountain…

"You," Oogway confirmed and I just glowered silently at him too. How dare he? He barely looks in on our training, I work my tail off for years, and for what? A panda that fell from the sky claims the glory rather than me? Or even any of us for that matter?

"Me?" the panda was rightfully surprised and I wondered why or how on earth everything weird always had to happen to me. I wondered what Master Shifu would think of this. If I could convince him the panda was too dangerous to the valley, that Tai Lung would murder him in a matter of seconds, I could maybe save this dilemma and save ,y honor which the panda's naming had shredded to bits, been stomped to the ground, and spat on. If not, I would have to disobey my master (I had done so before and the result was no pretty peach) and take matters into my own paws.

Baring my teeth in anger as Oogway further announced the panda, I felt wronged by the universe as he claimed, "The universe has brought us the Dragon Warrior."

I wasn't sure I believed in fate, but this was so not fate, it was more of a devastating accident. People could die for this and I could have helped them. He and the panda were condemning innocents to death, breaking my father even further, and ruining my entire way of life. This sucks. I hate fate.

"What?" the panda muttered. Didn't he get it yet? I was being stood up for him. Apparently I wasn't good enough for the ancient turtle.

"What?" Viper, Crane, Monkay, and Mantis gasped. Yes, it was indeed a change of plans, and I didn't know if they had all been expecting to be the Dragon Warrior too, or they were simply as surprised and outraged as I was. I doubted it. Nobody could be worse off from this than me.

"What?" Master Shifu snapped. Okay, maybe he was worse off. I definitely knew he had not been expecting Master Oogway to do anything so atrocious as this. It went against everything I had ever though about the Dragon Scroll and its shroud of mystery. If any common guy of the village could be Dragon Warrior, why have us? I loved Kung Fu and my life wasn't great, but it was the only way I knew how to live now, and how could I change it all when my dreams were crushed by a panda butt?

"What?" Oh, someone must have arrived late. Gong! There was a loud noise from a pig with a cymbal and I mentally screamed with rage as the crowd began to cheer. They should have been cheering for me, or at least one of us, not an outsider. I stared up at the sudden downpour of confetti and my enraged mind was sidetracked, wondering at how quickly these people had simply set up and made confetti for something we had been waiting for one hundred years. Silently, I watched as a parade of geese, ducks, and pigs brought a throne to carry the panda up the mountain with. Vaguely, I noticed as Master Shifu unsuccessfully tried to stop them, skidded around the stairs and down, and began to yell, or so it seemed, at his master. The panda was strenuously loaded onto the chair and I tried to hear my masters' conversation as they lowered their voices amongst so many people. I discerned that the red panda was even madder than me that the panda was chosen and Master Oogway believed there are no accidents. What, the panda fell in front of me, and he had chosen me? How could he? The panda managed to break the throne and I saw as Master Oogway wandered away, having ruined our lives, that Master Shifu had not won their argument. The panda was truly to be the Dragon Warrior. I was not good enough and our village would be put in ruins. He must have had such hope that his son could be defeated at least, maybe not killed, I don't know. Now, I had not been good enough, I was not a warrior to match a chance panda from the sky…

Punching my fist to my palm, I bowed my head slightly and murmured, "Forgive us, Master. We have failed you." Even if this was chance, Master Oogway had still believed that the panda was a better warrior than any of us. Surely that would be enough to make him ashamed of us, and especially me. I was his second student, the next comparison to Tai Lung, and like him, I was not ready for the Dragon Scroll. I never would be, but I refused to do the mistakes that Tai Lung had. I would not resort to violence and hurt my father, betray my people, and shame myself even further.

My master surprised me by waving it off with a sharp, "No. If the panda has not quit by morning, then I will have failed you." He looked more serious than I had seen in a long time, and I felt a small spark of hope. Master Shifu could definitely break a spirit such as the panda's. When he realized we did not want him here, and was faced with unending pain and misery, he would have to drop out. He had not wanted this for years as I had, and it would be better for the whole valley if he was not the Dragon Warrior. I might not be worthy now for the honor, but I had been. The panda had stolen it, and with Master Shifu's help, I would steal it right back. "Now, go to the training hall. There is never too much practice." He left us with that and I stared after him. I guessed he would have a "friendly chat" with the panda before showing him what we could do. We walked silently up the hill in the direction of the Training Hall and I could feel tension spiking the air between us. This was what I had been weary of and I didn't know what I could say. We were faced with an unseen future. That is, unless we got rid of the panda without Master Oogway intervening.

The Training Hall with all its equipment, huge and terrifying had frightened me as a kitten and I failed it hundreds of times before I got better, until finally, I excelled and had to find ways to make it trickier, such as doing the course the opposite way I usually did it, with my paws tied behind my back (should I ever be captured, though it is doubtful), and blindfolded. Now, I wasn't sure what the point was. I was not the Dragon Warrior and training just didn't feel the same. There would still be evil in the world, but not in such a chance as this.

"I sort of feel bad for him," Viper was the first to break the silence, and though I was not surprised at that, I was rather annoyed that she felt this and worse, that hearing so made me feel a slight twinge of the same.

"He doesn't have to do this if he doesn't want to," I growled. The panda could quit anytime he wanted, and I was sure Master Shifu would stress that point to him.

"No, I mean Master Shifu," Viper corrected me.

"He's had to deal with a lot so far and with Tai Lung on the way here, this is bad," Crane murmured.

"We'll just have to help him make sure the panda quits," I shrugged.

"Do you really think it will be so easy? He's nothing but an awed citizen who has been unimportant to us most of his life. I think he will try to prove himself," Mantis pointed out, but I snorted.

"And he won't now. After a few hours of hard training, he'll be gone in no time." But I wasn't sure. What if he wasn't and Tai Lung came? What if he was already here? People would die if that happened, and I couldn't let that happen.

"So…do we need a plan or what?" Monkey asked, but Crane answered.

"I think it would be safer not to. After all, we are already going against Master Oogway's wishes and I am not so sure what will happen if he finds out what we are doing. Mistake or not, the panda was named the Dragon Warrior and it would be best nobody finds out we are trying to get rid of him."

"I honestly think he may already know," Viper said and I gave her a quick glance. That was an interesting thought, but then, why would he not try to stop us? Perhaps he knew the panda needed to be tested before he battled Tai Lung. No. We would get rid of him tonight. There would be no need for him to even think of battling Tai Lung. For a moment, I wondered if he even knew. I never heard Master Oogway or Master Shifu say anything about the snow leopard in front of the villagers. Perhaps, they didn't want to cause a panic.

When we had gotten organized and accustomed to this type of training, we had each chosen a certain obstacle first, and then kept rotating. First, I took the Swinging Claws. My mind was filled with unwanted feelings of hatred and pain. Usually training helped. Clearing my mind, except for instinct and power, I kept my balance along the snakes as I dodged the swinging claws. It was easy to me now, but I worked on my ferocity and found the power intoxicating. Tai Lung wouldn't stand a chance.

Bang! The familiar noise of Master Shifu slamming open the doors (he was not quiet unless he wished to be) interrupted our training, but we continued on. This wasn't usual for us, but the panda was here and we wanted to make a certain impression on him.

Flipping and jumping to avoid the swinging claws, I still ended up balanced and readily prepared for enemy attack. When it was about time we changed obstacles, I have a twirling leap to land on the Jade Tortoise, where I knew he would be. I liked the twirling sensation of being off the ground, which I had used when we presented ourselves to the villager during the choosing of the Dragon Warrior. Crane immediately knew what I was about to do, which I knew he would, and so he changed his stride to meet my attack.

We exchanged a few snappish kicks and punches, neither trying hard enough to injure each other, but just enough so that it would look like a truly cool fight to the panda. He whispered to me as the panda turned his attention to the others with an awestruck face, "This might be interesting." I had to admit, I did agree. Though I didn't like it, the panda's very presence added a little variety to our lives.

Back flipping onto the Swinging Claws again, I ducked just in time to avoid one of the missiles, and began my flipping and twirling, almost dance, across the snakes. Suddenly turning as one of the swinging clubs entered my peripheral vision, I swung around and smashed my paws together to present a solid target for the club, smashing it completely upon impact.

Luckily enough for me, one of the pieces of smashed wood ricocheted into the panda's forehead. "Ow! Oooh…" he cried and rubbed the sore spot with a paw. I rolled my eyes and continued my work, though I kept an eye on the panda. If he was already hurt and by this of all things, not to mention vocally expressing it, I doubted he would last an hour, and wondered how on earth he was even still here.

"Let's begin," Master Shifu stiffly said and folded his arms. I took it that they already didn't get along…

With those words, I gave a tremendous leaping flip into the air to propel myself off of the obstacle course, and the others followed suit.

"Wait, wait, wait. What?" he gasped, "Now?" His eyes surveyed the menacing obstacle course, finally coming to an end as the Field of Flames coughed up a last huge spurt of flames.

"Yes, now-unless you think the great Oogway was wrong and you are not the Dragon Warrior," Master Shifu calmly said and I exchanged a glance of confusion with Viper. Though his sarcasm was easily blatant, it sounded more of goading and I realized Master Shifu might not even want him gone right away-it looked like he was having fun teasing him…

"Oh, okay. I don't know if I can do all of those moves…" he stammered, but if he was trying to get Master Shifu to go easy on him or was just stating a fact, I didn't know, and whatever he said probably wouldn't have mattered anyway.

"Hmhmhm. If we don't try, we'll never know, will we?" Master Shifu chuckled and he began limping our way and I wondered what he was going to do. The panda didn't look like he could even survive one of our obstacles with all body parts intact. He continued to fallow the red panda, protesting in a small hidden way, not really a strong speaker. I wondered if we would get to beat him up. I would enjoy that.

"Uh, yeah. It's just, maybe we could find something more suited to my…level," he finished, more of a question than anything. If he was trying to back out, he might as well do it. Then again, it's not like I had anything better to do with my time right now.

"And what level is that?" came Master Shifu's skeptical reply. I did feel bad for him too, having to put up with this lump. It was not his fault Master Oogway made a mistake. I couldn't let Tai Lung arrive to fight the panda. He must be gotten rid of, or maybe he might even come after his master.

"You know, uh, well, I'm not a master. Let's just start at zero, level zero," the panda stammered and I glared at him. What did he think this was? A board game?

"Oh, no. There is no such thing as level zero," Master Shifu told him in a mocking tone. With that, they reached the end of the wooden path and I wondered what we were all doing over here. There really was mostly empty space… It was sort of a storage corner for weapons and stuff if it could really be called even that.

"Hey! Maybe I can start with that!" the panda exclaimed and when I saw what he was pointing at and heading over too, I nearly laughed aloud, and could tell even Master Shifu found it humorous, even if he didn't really show it.

"That? We use that for training children and for propping the door open when it's hot," he growled, "But if you insist. Wanting to see what this crazy panda would do next, I silently padded over with the rest of the Furious Five. The panda's eyes widened with admiration and I wondered if he had some freakish obsession over us or something.

I stopped close to him with a scowl and my paws on my hips. He barely noticed, but only to talk with amazement, "Whoa, the Furious Five! You're so much bigger than your action figures…" Action figures? Did the big baby have dolls too? "Except for you Mantis. You're about the same," he mused. Mantis chirped with annoyance and I blinked a couple times, unmoved.

"Go ahead, panda. Show us what you can do," Master Shifu told him and I wondered what he expected out of this. It was obvious the panda wanted to be like us, but couldn't.

"Um, are they going to watch or should I just wait until they get back to work or something?" he asked after an uncomfortable pause on his part and I growled inwardly. He was so weird…why couldn't the person to contest me for the Dragon Warrior name be something like him?

"Hit it," Master Shifu snapped in a absolutely-no-nonsense voice.

"Okay, yeah. I just…ate, so I'm still…digesting. My Kung Fu might not be as good as…later on," he continued and I snappishly though, did he honestly think there was even going to be a later on?

"Just hit it!" Master Shifu ordered again, and I could tell he was even getting frustrated by the panda's unwillingness to commence.

"Alright. What' ch you got? You got nothing cause I got it right here. You picking on my friends?" Okay, now I was adding a couple more reasons to why I wanted to kill him (though theoretically I never would). A, he was talking to a practice dummy I used as a kit and B, he thought we were friends. "Well, get ready to feel the thunder. Come on with the crazy feet. What' ch you going to do about the crazy feet? I'm a blur. I'm a blur. You never seen bear style, only…praying mantis." With this, he imitated Mantis's pinchers. I wasn't even sure if I was surprised anymore, considering he had been dancing or lurching around doing 'crazy feet.' "Or maybe…snickety snake," he continued. Snickety?

"Would you hit it?" Master Shifu finally yelled and I wondered when the day would be over. I really hated this panda, and everything he did only made it worse.

"Alright, alright," he complained in a wounded tone as if he hadn't been wasting our time doing poor imitations of us, and insulting Kung Fu, even if unintentionally. Leaning slightly forward, he gave the dummy a tiny tap with his fist and stepped back with a nervous glance at us. No, you didn't do it right…

"Why don't you try again? A little harder," Master Shifu told him in a demeaning voice. I think he was having fun with this, seriously.

Slamming the dummy with his fist, he sent it reeling back, and laughed, "How's this? Ow!" Unsuprisingly to me, it bounced back up off the floor and smacked into his face. Hard. A tooth dropped to the floor and I stepped forward, suspecting what would happen next. I had already reached out to grab the flying panda, but Master Shifu put up an arm to warn us back. Clearly, we were not to interfere. Glancing quickly at the Furious Five, I almost felt worried for the panda. Sure, he might be driven home from this experience, but there was also a good chance he could die on this obstacle course.

As untrained as he was, he fumbled along the snakes of the Swinging Claws, and ended up losing his balance and doing a painful splits with a yelp of pain, before the swinging claws caught up with him and smacked him in the face, literally head on. I watched with somewhat amused pity as he was sent flying into the Jade Tortoise. Stumbling out of the bowl, dazed and disoriented, he went right into the Gator Gauntlet.

His will be easier than I thought," Master Shifu casually mentioned and I agreed.

As I watched him be hit several painful times, of course yelping and shouting the while, he yelled, "I'm feeling a little nauseous. Oh, these are hard!" When he was hit again, in a very unpleasant spot which made the guys flinch, he gasped, "Ooooh! My tenders…ow…aw…" When he could finally stand again, he was hit another several times before staggering up onto the platform of the Field of Flames. Viper hissed nervously to me.

"Oh, he is so dead."

Despite the fact I hated him, I hoped he survived this.

"Uh oh," the panda muttered as he looked around and realized the severity of this situation he literally stumbled into.

Even I had to flinch, and looked away at the blinding light, and wrinkled a lip to reveal my teeth at the scent of burnt fur. Master Shifu and the others, it turned out, couldn't look either. The flames repeatedly burnt him until he managed to somehow drag himself out and over to us. Was he going to beg to go home?

"How'd I do?" he groaned. Wow, he was more resilient than I thought, but he still had to go. Rolled my eyes and shook my head.

"There is now a level zero," that was all Master Shifu needed to say as he reached over and extinguished a small lit clump of fur on his head. His head dropped back to the ground in defeat and as Master Shifu left with an air of disappointment, I knew his plan had not worked. I would have to make sure the panda was gond by the next morning. I owed it to him, the village, myself, and if he would not leave, I feared Tai Lung would return to no opposition and continue his reign of terror so many years ago, yet still fresh in the memories of all.


	10. Last Choice

Master Shifu didn't give a glance back at the defeated panda, but strode purposefully out the door. I knew it would be hopeless if the panda stayed, so along with my friends, I would get rid of him. Walking quietly besides the others as we quickly left the panda behind, I listened carefully to sense their feelings on this terrible predicament.

"There are no words," Monkey began, but I sensed he had a quiet appreciation for the panda's stubbornness and I shook my fur in disgust. Would they all sympathize with the panda, just because he was similar to Master Shifu? I didn't even want to dignify the panda by referring to his name0not to mention I didn't know it.

"No denying that," Crane finished. He, I knew, sympathized with the panda, but his clever mind had already realized that helping the panda would only bring China to its knees.

"I don't understand what Master Oogway was thinking. The poor guy's just going to get himself killed," Viper murmured. I couldn't believe how she took his side, and I highly doubted that Master Shifu would kill him, but it was beginning to become clear that the panda was very prone to accidents. In fact, I wanted to cause him to have an accident. But this was not what Master Shifu wanted. He was letting the panda show him what he had, and then he was going to let him choose whether to have his butt kicked every day or go home. I would let the panda know this too, only I would try to be more mentally direct than physically.

"He's so mighty! The Dragon Warrior fell out of the sky on a ball of fire," Crane mocked the panda, and I rolled my eyes. He loved sarcasm sometimes too much for his own good…

"When he walks, the ground shakes," Mantis chuckled. Mantis seemed either way, and was simply ignoring this situation, figuring eventually it would be solved with his newfound patience. I had none of that right now. How could I have not been the glorious Dragon Warrior, to bring peace to my master? Why didn't Oogway choose me?

"One would think that Master Oogway would choose someone who actually knew kung fu," I snarled angrily. I would not dare go against Master Oogway openly, out of respect like Master Shifu, not out of fear of course.

"Yeah, or could at least touch his toes," Crane muttered.

"Or even see his toes," Monkey tacked on, causing them to began laughing again. I had absolutely no idea how they could just laugh off this situation, but I would take no part of it. If I were to help Master Shifu to get rid of the panda and restore our honor, I would have to do it alone. That night, I decided I wouldn't practice at the training hall as I usually did. It was a contaminated place.

As we eventually reached our bedrooms, we all wished each other good night and went into our separate rooms as ordinarily we would. Sitting down in my bed, I felt the rage of this day burning inside me and restless, I got back up, softly padded up and down my room and wished I could just punch something.

Just as I thought I was about to explode, I heard a soft creaking noise…footsteps. That panda was here, which meant that he hadn't left yet. Why couldn't he just get out of here. He was such a burden to us all in a time of trouble. There was an assortment of mumbling that I heard, before there was a loud crack. Did he just break something again? Then, I heard Crane's door shoot open and I wondered why he was bothering Crane. He was probably trying to sleep right now.

Listening by my door, I snarled softly at the panda's stupidity.

"Oh hey-hey-hey-hi. You're up," the panda stammered.

"Am now," Crane shot back, but the way it came from him, it did not really sound like a challenge.

"I was just, uh, some day, huh? That kung fu stuff's hard work, right? Are your biceps sore?" the panda continued. Was he trying to make friends or something?

"Um, I've had a long a-and rather disappointing day, so, uh, yeah, I should probably get to sleep now," Crane hinted. He was stammering again and that wasn't very imposing of him.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course…" the panda realized.

"Okay, thanks," Crane sighed with relief.

"It's just, aw man, I'm such a big fan. You guys were totally amazing at the battle of weeping willow, outnumbered a thousand to one, but you didn't stop. And you just…" I heard a bunch of noises like he was imitating kung fu, and then something tore. Could he ever stop humiliating us by pretending to be like us? "Oh, sorry about that," the panda muttered.

"Uh, look, you don't belong here," Crane awkwardly said, but I mentally cheered him on.

"Ugh, I know, I know. You're right. I don't have the-I just-my whole life I've dreamed of-" the panda continued and I rolled my eyes. Dreams don't come true you nitwit.

"No-no-no, I meant y-you don't belong here. I mean in this room. This is my room-property of Crane," he added, and I growled lowly. Why couldn't he just stand up to the panda without stuttering?

"Oh, okay, right, right. So, yeah, you want to get to sleep," the panda finally realized.

"Yeah," Crane agreed.

"I'm keeping you up. We got big things tomorrow. Alright, you're awesome. Last thing I'm going to say. Bye-bye," he left and I shook with rage. Oh, no, there was most definitely not going to be a tomorrow here for him. I would make sure of that.

Crane sighed. "What was that?" the panda asked.

"I didn't say anything," Crane snapped back. Finally…

"Okay, alright, good night, sleep well," the panda continued and shut the door again. "Seemed a little bit awkward," he sighed. Really? It took that long for him to tell? As he creaked down the hallway, I opened my doors to confront him.

"Master Tigress," he gasped, "Didn't mean to wake you. Just, uh," my eyes had been temporarily closed to calm myself down so I wouldn't yell at him, but now I opened them to glare at him.

"You don't belong here," I growled.

"Uh, Yeah, yeah, of course. This is your room," he stretched his neck to peer inside, but I blocked him. His eyes were not worthy of any of this.

"I mean, you don't belong in the Jade Palace. You're a disgrace to kung fu and if you have any respect for who we are and what we do, you will be gone by morning," I leaned in imposingly to add to what I was saying. Then, I slammed the door in his face and mentally congratulated myself.

"Big fan," the panda called back and I hissed under my breath. How dare he? Then, I heard his footsteps retreat back the way he had come, and I could have leaped with joy. I had successfully gotten rid of him, and I would be the Dragon Warrior. I would defeat Tai Lung and Master Shifu would finally be proud of me. In a much better mood, I settled down to sleep. Tomorrow would be a good day.

When I woke up to the gong, I immediately leaped out of my room as the others did and greeted Master Shifu, "Good morning master."

"Panda, panda," Master Shifu called and I refrained from telling him I had driven him away. He might not like it that I had taken matters into my own paws. Walking quickly down the hallway, he slammed open the doors to what was supposed to be the panda's room and snarled, "Wake up!" Then, chuckling to himself, he murmured, "He's quit." Satisfied, he lead us all to breakfast, and then we went up to the courtyard to train as usual.

"What do we do know, Master? With the panda gone, who will be the Dragon Warrior?" Viper asked the question that I'm sure everyone was thinking.

"All we can do is resume our training and trust that in time, the true Dragon Warrior will be revealed," Master Shifu happily told us and I smiled inside. I would surely be the Dragon Warrior. Then. He opened the doors and I stared in disbelief. The panda was still here! "What are you doing here?" Master Shifu shouted and I glared at the panda. He was attempting to do the splits with the help of some of the training equipment.

"Ah! Hi, um, good morning master," he punched a fist to his palm in respect, "I, uh, thought I'd warm up a little," he stretched unconvincingly. I snarled in disgust. Stupid fat-ball was stuck.

"You're stuck," Master Shifu drawled.

"Stuc, nuh, what, stuck? Nah, this is one of my, uh, yeah, I'm stuck," he admitted.

"Help him," Master Shifu flicked his head toward Crane, who sighed.

"Oh dear," Crane said.

"Maybe on three. One, two, three," the panda gasped as Crane took hold of his pants and flapped furiously to move the panda. He succeeded in rolling the panda off of the equipment. 'Thank you," he sighed with relief.

"Don't mention it," Crane sarcastically grumbled.

"No, really, I appreciate-" the foolish panda continued.

"Ever," Crane clarified.

"Master Shifu chuckled, "You actually thought you could learn to do a full split in one night? It takes years to develop one's flexibility!" He threw some of the ceramic practice plates high into the air and I walked forward. Now, I would show th panda that he did not have what it took to defeat Tai Lung. I bent into a low crouch and he snapped his fingers, "And years longer to apply it in combat," he added. When his fingers snapped, I launched myself into the air, in a continuous twirling motion to reach the height I desired. With my fists in the ready fighting position, I did a full split that was powerful enough to obliterate the practice plates. Landing in a crouch, I gave a humph of satisfaction and walked away from him to stand behind Master Shifu again. As a rain of ceramic chunks fell to the ground, a large one hit him on the head. Bending down, he picked it up.

"Put that down! The only souvenirs we collect here are bloody knuckles and broken bones," Master Shifu snarled and I had to agree with him there. We practiced like our life depended on it, because one day it would.

"Yeah, excellent," the panda laughed and punched a hand to his fist in a ready position. That dope could barely understand hard work.

Let's get started," Master Shifu grinned. Oh, he was going to work the panda into submission. Sweet. He snapped his fingers and I lined up to the side with Monkey, Mantis, and Crane. He was going to show the panda how much all of us were better than the panda. It was Viper's turn first.

"Are you ready?" Viper asked.

"I was born ready," the panda shot back happily.

With a hiss, she tripped him into the air, punched him in the stomach and smacked him on the head so he fell on his head on the ground.

"I'm sorry brother. I thought you said you were ready," Viper mocked him. She had actually gone pretty easy on him.

"That was awesome! Let's go again," he clapped his hands and I stared at him in disbelief. He was ether suicidal or stupid. I was guessing the latter.

Master Shifu snapped his fingers again and Monkey flipped a long bamboo pole around to warm up. They had been at the side of the courtyard and the panda clearly had no idea how to use one. Flipping it and doing intricate moves, he hit the panda several times until he smacked him hard enough on the head that he fell.

Crane was next and as we walked to the training hall to practice on his favorite, the Jade Tortoise, I whispered to Viper, "Why hasn't he quit last night?"

"I think he talked to Master Oogway," she hissed back and I startled.

"Why would one as wise as Master Oogway pep talk this panda into staying here?" I asked in confusion.

"I don't know, but I hope Master Shifu's training and the panda's stubbornness won't kill him," she murmured back. I had nothing to say to this. She sympathized with the panda a lot.

We helped the panda onto the rim of the Jade Tortiose, but he only bounced around in it like a baby, laughing the whole time.

Master Shifu snapped hi fingers again and we headed outside so Mantis could beat him up next. Was he saving me for last on purpose?

Mantis beat him u quickly and painfully and as the day slowly progressed, I grew restless. Why wouldn't Master Shifu let me try to get the panda out of here. I wouldn't kill him, just beat him up harshly. When it was Mantis's turn for the last time that day, I couldn't believe how resilient the panda was. He was ready for more.

This was Master Shifu's last straw and I could tell he was outraged to the point of no return.

"I've been taking it easy on you panda, but no more. Your next opponent ," I waited for him to call my name and tensed my muscles, "will be me." I started with shock. What would he do to the panda? I could tell the others were surprised and mildly frightened. Master Shifu never used his full power except when he practiced by himself. When he practiced against anyone else he did not use his powers to kill or even break bones usually. Now, he was so mad, I wasn't entirely sure he wouldn't kill the guy.

"All right, yeah. Let's go," the panda laughed, standing up. Oh, he badly underestimated my master.

"Step forth," Master Shifu commanded. "Your true path to victory is finding your opponent's weakness and make him suffer for it," he flipped the panda several times and slammed him to the ground, cracking his knuckles. He bent the panda's had back by the ear.

"Oh, yeah," the panda laughed.

"To take his strength and use it against him," Master Shifu flipped the panda, threw him to his feet and launched himself into the air. I always admired how well he could control himself, as shown by how he leaped and kicked the panda's chin several rapid times while his body was slanted head toward the ground. I had no idea how many years upon years he trained. Swinging him away to the ground, he continued, "Until he finally falls," he leaped onto his head after flipping him, "or quits." He bent the panda's head up by the nose.

Nasally, the panda protested, "But a real warrior never quits. Don't worry master. I will never quit." Ooh…wrong words. Master Shifu snarled, flipped him, launched him into the air, and leaped to deliver a mighty kick with his good leg. The kick sent the panda through the doors and bouncing all the way down the stairs.

"If he's smart, he won't come back up those steps," I hissed as the others and I walked to the edge of the staircase. Master Shifu had already left and I hoped that at least, this was enough for the panda to quit. For once, I began to agree with the panda, and think that he would never quit. But I wouldn't either. He would have to go, one way or the other.

"But he will," Monkey looked to me resignedly.

"He's not going to quit, is he?" Viper asked to the others as I left.

Going to the training hall to begin my last two-hour workout of the day as usual, I wondered how on earth I could get the panda out of there. His weaknesses were easy to see-he was bad at kung fu, didn't know when to give up, and had too big of a conscience. I had almost gotten him to go by tearing at his conscience, so maybe I could do it again. For now, I just threw myself into my work, practicing new and old moves and always trying harder, so I could beat Tai Lung. By the end of my training session, I was tired a little and decided to go back.

As I entered the hallway to our rooms, I heard Viper and Mantis gathered in the panda's room, and Monkey and Crane listening intently.

"According to legend, there was once a time when Master Shifu actually used to simle," Viper told him, and I paused by the door. Was she going to tell him the story I had heard from Master Oogway and shared with them so many years ago?

"No!" the panda exclaimed with disbelief. I know, I had met Master Shifu after he had been betrayed by Tai Lung and I knew how much it hurt him.

"Yes," Viper sighed, "But that was before."

"Before what?" the panda asked and I resigned myself to telling the story. It would eat away at his conscience ad maybe he would finally leave.

"Before Tai Lung," I answered, pushing open the doors. I had always remembered the story Master Oogway had told me, as if it had been yesterday.

"Oh yeah. We're not really supposed to talk about him," Crane added in a matter of fact tone.

"Well, if he's going to stay here, he should know," I flashed back.

"Guys, guys, I know about Tai Lung. He was a student, the first ever to master the Thousand Scrolls of Kung Fu, and then he turned bad, and now he's in jail…" he trailed off as I strode towards him angrily. How dare he say he knew about him already? He didn't even know the beginning of the truth.

"He wasn't just a student," I reminisced, recalling back the story told to me so long ago. "Shifu found him as a cub and he raised him as a son." The son I could never be…"And when the boy showed talent in kung fu, Shifu trained him. He believed in him. He told him he was destined for greatness." Part of who Tai Lung was had been Master Shifu's doing, but he had never expected what a monster he would create. "It was never enough for Tai Lung," my voice shook sadly at that. It would have been good enough for me. "He wanted the Dragon Scroll, but Oogway saw darkness in his heart and refused. Outraged, Tai Lung laid waste to the valley. He tried to take the Dragon Scroll and Shifu had to destroy what he created." I couldn't help almost crying at my master's pain. It must have broken his heart to see his son turn against him. "But how could he?" As he had hesitated in his love, Tai Lung had broken his hip. Now he was left with a permanent limp and a hole in his heart. Tai Lung had stolen love from Master Shifu and I had to give it back to him.

"Shifu loved Tai Lung like he had never loved anyone before or since," I murmured. He had never loved me, not even from the beginning. Back to my original plan of dissuading the panda, I snarled, "And now, he has a chance to make things right-to train the true Dragon Warrior-and he's stuck with you, a big fat panda who treats it like a joke," I spat angrily.

"Doi!" he made a face and stuck out his tongue. How dare he!

"Okay, that's it!" I screeched, swinging back a paw to claw his face off.

"Wait! Wait! My fault! I accidentally tweaked his facial nerves," Mantis yelled and I stopped myself just in time. I stepped back and the panda fell over with hundreds of acupuncture needles sticking out of is back. "And may have also stopped his heart," Mantis worriedly tapped the panda's face, who only twitched in return. Carefully, he began removing the needles, and I left to wait for dinner. Usually, Master Shifu cooked and he was excellent at it.

"Scared? Yeah. So, I'm like fine. You may be a wolf. You may be the scariest bandit in Hua Xien province, but you're a lousy tipper," the panda continued a story that the others had obviously been talking about before they arrived here. The panda was cooking in Master Shifu's absence, and to my amazement, it actually smelled really good.

"Really, so how'd you get out of there alive?" Crane asked. Exactly.

"I mean, uh, I didn't actually say that. But I thought it, in-in my mind," he muttered, pouring the soup and noodles into several bowls. "If he could read my mind, he would have been like, what? Order up," he served the plates. Pathetic thing-why was he still here? "Do you like it?" ha asked.

"This is really good," Mantis exclaimed.

"Nah, you should try my dad's Secret Ingredient Soup. He actually knows the secret ingredient," the panda muttered.

"What are you talking about? This is amazing," Viper gasped.

"Wow, you're a really good cook," Crane complimented.

"I wish my mouth was bigger," Mantis commented. Okay, enough with this. Soup would not defeat Tai Lung.

"Tigress, you've got to try this," Monkey told me and I frowned.

"It is said that the Dragon Warrior can survive for months at a time on nothing but the dew of a single ginkgo leaf and the energy of the universe," I coldly replied. I took a small bite of my food.

"I guess my body doesn't know it's the Dragon Warrior yet. I'm going to need a lot more than dew, and uh, universe juice," he panda drank his soup and everyone but me laughed. Why was that so funny? "What?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing, Master Shifu," Mantis laughed.

Sliding out of his chair, the panda imitated my master's voice. How dare he after I told him about Master Shifu's past? "You'll never be the Dragon Warrior unless you lose five-hundred pounds and brush your teeth," he waved his chopsticks like my master's flute and the others laughed. "What is that noise you're making? Laughter? I've never heard of it. Work hard, panda, and maybe someday you will have ears like mine," he held up two bowls as ears. Okay, that was kind of funny.

Suddenly, I widened my eyes as I saw Master Shifu standing behind the panda. The others immediately stopped too and I worried Master Shifu would really kill the panda this time. He looked so grim.

"Ears? It's not working for you? I thought they were pretty good," the oblivious panda said, hurt.

"It's Shifu," Monkey whispered.

"Of course it's Shifu. What do you think I'm doing?" the panda laughed. Suddenly turning around, he gasped, "Ooh, Master Shifu," and stuck the bowls to his chest fur. "Uh," he slurped up the noodle on his lip and sidestepped away. Master Shifu glared at him as the others laughed.

"You think this is funny? Tai Lung has escaped from prison and you're acting like children," Master Shifu yelled.

"What?" the panda gasped. I mentally froze. So soon We were nowhere near ready.

"He is coming for the Dragon Scroll and you are the only one who can stop him." The bowls fell.

The panda laughed, "And here I am saying you've got no sense of humor. I'm gonna…stop Tai Lung. What, are you serious? And I have to-?" he stammered. "No, Master Oogway will stop him. He did it before. He'll do it again."

"Oogway cannot. Not anymore," Master Shifu sighed and I felt a sudden sense of loss. The wise old turtle was gone? I gasped.

"Our only hope is the Draon Warrior," he quietly said. No! He could not take the side of the panda! Not now! We would al be doomed.

"The panda?" I hissed angrily.

"Yes, the panda," he snapped back.

"Master, please! Let us stop Tai Lung. This is what you've trained us for," I yelled, shooting up from my chair.

"No! It is not your destiny to defeat Tai Lung! It is his!" he pointed with Master Oogway;s staff to the now empty space and looked around in confusion. "Where'd he go?"

"He…sort of ran away," Viper admitted. I followed him as he limped down the hallway.

"Master, he can't defeat Tai Lung. You know that," I quietly protested.

"Whether he can or cannot doesn't matter. I promised Oogway," he told me and I stiffened and growled. Even dead, Master Oogway controlled things. He was wise and a good friend, but not now.

"But if he can't, who will?" I asked, but he only gave silence and I realized the answer and shivered with horror, " N-n-no, you can't! This time, he might kill you !" I hissed. I could not bare it for him to die.

"Tigress, at this point, which do you think would be easier for me?" he said softly.

"Don't we mean anything to you?" I whispered, hurt.

"It is for you that I'm doing this," he growled and I stopped, watching my father go to his death. The panda would not succeed and Master Shifu would die, unless I did something first.

Walking back to the table, I growled, "Master Shifu promised Oogway to let the panda try. He will fail, and Master Shifu will take his place. If he does, he will die. I won't let that happen," grimly, I left them with that, walking out and onto the roof to listen to Master Shifu and the panda.

"Come on! Tai Lung is on his way here right now! And even if it takes him a hundred years to get here, how are you going to change this into the Dragon Warrior, huh?" At least he knew he would fail. He asked how thrice in a louder voice each time and finally Master Shifu snapped.

"I don't know!" he yelled. Then, he paused and closed his eyes defeatedly. "I don't know."

That was it. There was no option left but to leave and take care of Tai Lung right now. I would succeed and my father would live. Turning around, I launched myself off of the roof and into the dark night air.


	11. Hero

The cool night wind soothed my anger and hurt as I soared down to do what I had to. I knew Master Shifu would be angry with me, but I couldn't let him die-he was my father. My eyes closed, I turned into a well-practiced sharp point, one forearm extended to cut through the wind. Slowly opening my eyes, I led the adrenaline flow through me, raised both arms, and bared my teeth with pleasure. I loved heights. I felt my pupils widen as I did a forwards flip to slide down a roof top, letting the momentum launch me into the air again. A backwards flip landed me gracefully in a crouch on the next rooftop.

Panting with the thrill of the leap, I turned back towards the Jade Palace. Master Shifu was wise, but sometimes he could be wrong. "This is what you trained me for," I murmured.

Leaping forwards, I inwardly groaned as I heard the sounds and smelled the scents of four pursuers. They would not stop me-I would defeat Tai Lung or die trying. Jumping to the ground, flipping, and running along the various buildings, I tried to shake them, but they kept coming.

After a quick flip, I hear Viper cry, "Tigress!"

I looked back, but I only ran faster, "Don't try and stop me!" I shouted. Hopefully, the villagers inside wouldn't hear us.

As I ran, I tried to ignore their pleas, but was instead surprised. "We're not trying to stop you," Viper contradicted me.

"What?" I asked in spite of myself.

"We're coming with you," she explained.

Running on, panting with relief, I glanced at the others to see if they all agreed. Monkey gave me a thumbs-up and smiled.

Satisfied, I ran on, and together, my friends and I headed off together to defeat Tai Lung.

It took us the rest of the night to reach the outer limits of the valley of peace. The next day, we slept a little, before traveling another night and when day came, I could sense Tai Lung's presence. Although I did not fear Tai Lung, I was glad of my friends' presence. I couldn't help wondering how Master Shifu would react if we killed Tai Lung, but I knew that I had to fight Tai Lung to save my father. Viper had told me that she and the others had left a note for him explaining what we were doing, but I doubted he needed it. He would already guess what we had done.

Increasing my speed, I ran on and we reached the Thread of Hope, a large bridge that was as ancient to me as the Jade Palace. Tai Lung was here too, and now, I could see the evil beast. His eyes glowed with a rage that I could barely match and his body was ready for a fight.

He roared and I snarled back. Immediately, he launched himself along the bridge, running at a speed made possible by the strength in his arms. Too bad for him, we were ready.

"Cut it," I told Viper.

Each of us cut a rope that held the bridge in place, but it was too late. Tai Lung had gathered his strength and leaped across. Judging his power and aim, I knew he would not miss. Snarling at his loathsome face, I leaped up and kicked him in the jaw with a , "Hiyah!" and a strength so powerful that it propelled me backwards into a flip, and him, much farther away from me.

The others grabbed and held the ropes, while Tai Lung and I landed on the bridge. This was it-the final showdown. Steadying myself, I raised my arms in a ready position.

"Where's the Dragon Warrior?" he drawled in a smooth voice, leaning back on the tipping bridge with an air of smugness that I found infuriating.

"How do you know you're not looking at her?" I snarled back in a equally calm reply.

He laughed, "You think I'm a fool? I know you're not the Dragon Warrior," he snarled and I growled right back. How dare he insult me like that? Who did this oaf think he was? "None of you!" he elaborated. How did he know this? Had he been spying on us? No, impossible. "I heard how he fell out of the sky on a ball of fire-that he's a warrior unlike anything the world has ever seen," I snarled again at his words.

"Po?" Monkey asked with confusion. Oh, that was his name. They had gotten to know him better than I.

"So that is his name? Po. Finally, a worthy opponent. Our battle will be legendary," Tai Lung triumphantly growled. No! I was worthy and my triumph over him would be legendary!

Snarling, I punched at his face, but he withdrew just in time, guarding against each of my fierce attacks, until I used my legs to swing him over the side of the bridge. Pinning myself to the now sideways bridge, I stared as he launched himself high into the air. Squinting me eyes in the bright light, I tried to see him. Just in time, I saw his fist aiming for me, and quickly, I flipped the bridge so he was forced to smash through it. We exchanged punches and kicks until he grabbed my foot and tried to throw me off. Reaching my claws out, I sank them into his paw to keep myself from falling, and he howled in pain. I kicked him, but as I reached up to hang onto the bridge, he ignored my attacks, and kicked and hit me several times. He was strong and though I was strong and even punched the trees so my paws felt barely nothing, his kicks to the back of my ribs and the front hurt, and I was beginning to have trouble breathing.

Finally, he smashed me through the top of the bridge and he delivered a final blow. I heard the crack of one of my left ribs that he had focused his energy on during the fight. Of all my bones, my ribs were probably the weakest, and he had managed to hurt me bad. I gasped in pain and the force of his blow sent me bursting through the planks of wood and about a hundred feet away from him.

Dazed with pain, I paused for a moment, and in that moment, he twisted the ropes around so they constricted my throat. Gasping for air, I vaguely heard Viper fighting Tai Lung, and suddenly, the pressure was released on my throat. Now, I was falling ungracefully through open air.

I maybe fell for several seconds, but Crane quickly dove to grab my paw and hoist me effortlessly up again. I saw Viper coiled around Tai Lung and making him punch himself in the face, before he regained control and grabbed her by the throat.

"Monkey," she gasped.

"Go," Mantis commanded, only to be left as the only one hanging onto the ropes. "Agh! What was I thinking?" he yelped.

Monkey leaped along the bridge to build up speed before launching himself in a flying kick to send Tai Lung sprawling backwards.

Tai Lung began racing across the empty ropes of the bridge, and as Crane propelled me towards the ropes, I yelled, "Mantis, now!"

Mantis snapped the ropes, flipping a stunned Tai Lung as the others cleared in the nick of time and we charged across the ropes when I yelled, "Now!"

We all yelled battle cries, and Monkey kicked Tai Lung in the stomach, making him roar in pain. Viper shot off Monkey's arm and snapped the snow leopard in the face, sending him reeling. Crane deftly tied him with a rope and I charged off his back to thrust Tai Lung away from us. Landing, I slashed the last rope and Tai Lung fell back in his binds with a yowl of fury. Mantis yanked us all back to safe ground and we landed, panting. I sighed with relief and turned to leave. Tai Lung had successfully been defeated and to tell the truth, the injury was little in comparison to the rewards. I had won and Master Shifu was safe.

Suddenly, I heard a faint whooshing noise and turned to look, narrowing my eyes suspiciously. No… Yes. I widened my eyes as the rope began twisting around the rock it was attached to and the end of the rope quickly flicked into the air. Where was he? I had been foolish to think that the fight was over so quickly. Searching the air franticly, I started as there was a loud boom behind us. We all turned to face Tai Lung with a gasp.

"Shifu taught you well," he mockingly praised us. Then, with a speed he had not shown all of in the fight, he lashed out at Monkey's midsection and he fell and stiffened with a blue flash. I gasped, flattened my ears, and backed away. Shifu had refused to teach us the nerve attack. I hadn't understood before, but I did now. Tai Lung had a weapon more powerful than us. Still, I refused to be beaten. We could still win this-we had to. "But he didn't teach you everything," Tai Lung finished with a roar, and lunged to hit Viper.

Snarling with rage, I slashed at him, trying my best moves, only to find he countered the easily, and with every hit he took, he seemed to only grow stronger. Finally, as I leaped eagerly at a space in his attack and arced my right paw at his throat, bit it and smashed his right fist into my left ribs. I screeched with pain, and doubled over. Mantis jumped in to save me from Tai Lung's nerve attack, and got it himself. My left side ached with pain and though one rib was completely broken, the others felt slightly fractured and totally agonizing. I held my left arm against my throbbing ribs and tried to copy the nerve attack with my right, but I saw quickly that it wasn't right, and was kicked backwards. Landing heavily on my stomach, I gasped in pain, and then…I scented something. Leaping onto one of the tall boulders, I jumped into the leaf fronds and froze. I smelled Wolf. Not live Wolf though. Wailing with grief, I couldn't help letting all the sound out. My friend…he had betrayed me once…but dead? No!

"Quit that racket!" Tai Lung snarled and hit me with the nerve attack.

Frozen, I felt rigid as a rock, but still in pain and I could see everything. Master Shifu was right. We were not ready. And he was going to die. I waited for Tai Lung to finish off Crane, but he stopped. "Take these…warriors…and return to the Jade Palace. Don't worry, I'll take care of you all later. But I need you alive now," he snarled and I felt a thrill of fear at his words. Why would he let us live? This was good…but something about it was wrong.

I felt the heaviness of failure as Crane struggled to carry us all home. Now, Po really was our only hope. I wished him to be the hero China needed, but it was impossible. My father…would die…and it would be all my fault. I hadn't been able to protect him…just like I hadn't been able to protect Wolf. It took twice as long on the return journey, since poor Crane had to carry us all, and I felt like crying, though I hadn't cried since I was a kit.

Finally, we neared the Jade Palace and I felt a dread in the pit of my stomach. My master, my kung fu, my people, everything I held dear would be ripped away by Tai Lung, the one who had stolen my master's love. What would he say to us when he saw we had failed. He surely couldn't believe in the panda. He would know we had failed and he would die.

Exhausted, Crane managed a few more wing beats, before he collapsed to the ground, dropping our stiffened forms too.

"Guys…Guys! They're dead…no, they're breathing…they're asleep…no, they're eyes are open," Po muttered fretfully.

"We were no match for his nerve attack," Crane explained.

"He has gotten stronger," Master Shifu murmured and I heard him undoing the nerve attacks. My eyes were closed, but it was a strange experience, for my other senses worked just fine. I didn't really know if Tai Lung had gotten stronger, but I had to admit, we truly were no match for him. Would Master Shifu?

"Tai Lung? Stronger?" Po yelped. I heard my master undo another nerve attack, and then there was a hit.

"He's too fast!" Monkey gasped, and then muttered, "Sorry, Po." I guess he was the one who hit him then.

I vaguely felt a strange tweaking and clicking sensation, and then I was able to move with a gasp. "I thought we could stop him," I admitted. I had been so sure.

"He could have killed you," Master Shifu rebuked, and I suppressed myself from arguing. He was okay with his death over ours. Why did he value our lives more than his own?

"Why didn't he?" Mantis asked as I painfully pushed myself into a sitting position. I used my right arm to hold my left ribs. They hurt bad, but I wasn't going to complain.

"So you could come back here and strike fear into our hearts, but it won't work," Master Shifu answered, sharply twisting Viper's body and even jumping on it to release her pressure points.

"Uh, it might. I mean, a little. I'm pretty scared," Po admitted nervously. He should be. If he had any chance of defeating Tai Lung, he would not have it if he held fear.

"You can defeat him panda," my master told him and I felt a spark of surprise. Whoa! What had happened over the few days we were gone that gave him genuine trust in the panda's skills?

"Are you kidding? I-they can't. They're five masters. I'm just one me," Po protested. He was right. How could he hope to succeed?

"But you will have the one thing no one else does," Master Shifu contradicted him and I guessed immediately what was coming. The panda would finally receive the honor of having the Dragon Scroll. I had never guessed this day would come, but if my master truly believed in the panda, I was willing to at least allow this.

We went to the Hall of Sacred Warriors and I stood a little ways behind Po and Master Shifu, wondering what immense power was contained in the scroll. They exchanged a few words, and then my master lifted Oogway's staff from a stand. Taking it to the Moon Pool, he flipped it several times before exhaling and extending his hand to cause several floating peach flower petals to shift. Twisting and twirling in an ancient-looking dance, he flipped and swayed to direct the petals in a swirling current. I widened my eyes in amazement at the intense beauty of it all, when there was a slight ping as one of the petals landed on the Dragon Scroll. Off balance, it tipped and fell to Master Shifu, who raising a leg to balance, caught the scroll with the end of the staff.

"Behold, the Dragon Scroll. It is yours," he murmured.

"Wait, what happens when I read it?" Po asked.

"Nobody knows, but legend says you will be able to hear a butterfly's wing beat," Master Shifu told him, and I wondered if this was true and how the scroll could do all that.

"Whao, really?" the panda gasped, amazed, "That's cool."

"Yes., and see light in the deepest cave. You will feel the universe in motion around you," my master even sounded amazed.

"Wow! Can I punch through walls? Can I-can I-can I do a quadruple backflip?" the panda started to grow more and more excited, while I just rolled my eyes. We could already do all of those things.

"Focus," Master Shifu ordered.

"Will I have invis-" Po continued.

"Focus, focus," he continued.

"Yeah, yeah, the panda agreed.

"Read it, Po, and fulfill your destiny. Read it, and become the Dragon Warrior," Master Shifu told him, and though I felt a little bit of jealousy, I couldn't help wishing he would be able to stop Tai Lung.

"Whao!" Po took the Dragon Scroll, "It's impossible to open." Straining with all his might, he couldn't open it. "Come on, come on baby, come on now," ha coaxed it, even trying to open it with his teeth, before Master Shifu silently held out a hand for it. He opened it with relative ease and quickly handed it back. "Thank you. Probably loosened it up for you though. Okay, here goes," he said and I watched with anticipation. What powers would he receive? He slowly opened it….and screamed. Gasping with slight fear, we flinched backwards. It was of Master Oogway's design after all. "It's blank," he stated. What? It couldn't be! Not after all this…

"What?" Master Shfu gasped.

"Here, look," Po offered.

"No, I am forbidden to look upon-" he gave in, taking the scroll and opening and closing it to get any reaction. How could Master Oogway do this to us? Fist, he picks the wrong warrior, and next, we open the infamous Dragon Scroll, only to discover it's blank? "Blank? I don't-I don't understand," my master murmured and I felt shame and pain. I understood. Master Shifu was going to die and it was all for nothing. We had failed.

"Okay, so like, Oogway was just a crazy old turtle after all?" Po growled.

"No, Oogway was wiser than us all," Master Shifu murmured and I inwardly snarled. It was nice of him to stick up for his master, but either the turtle was getting crazy in his old age or he had a terrible sense of humor.

"Oh, come on. Face it, he picked me by accident. Of course I'm not the Dragon Warrior. Who am I kidding?" the panda sat down with a disappointed sigh. If Po was not going to fight, that meant that Master Shufu would, unless I could get him to reconsider.

"The, who will stop Tai Lung?" I whispered.

"He will destroy everything-and everyone," Crane prophesized.

"No," Master Shifu commanded, handing Po the empty scroll. We moved forward for instruction, but I could already guess what was coming. He wasn't leaving. He never would. "Evacuate the valley. We must protect the villagers from Tai Lung's rage."

"What about you Master?" I painfully asked him. I couldn't imagine what we would do without him, and especially not now when I had put unusually high hopes up.

"I will fight him," he did not look at us.

"What?" Po gasped. Oh, I had forgotten. He had not heard Master Shifu and my conversation earlier. Yes, if Po didn't fight, my father would sacrifice himself.

"I can hold him off long enough for everyone to escape," he explained.

"But Shifu, he'll kill you," the panda finally realized.

"Then I will finally have paid for my mistake," Master Shifu told him in a sad voice. I felt so sorry for him, but I knew there was nothing I could say or do to change his mind. He truly believed that Tai Lung's rage and actions were all his fault. It had been haunting him for the past twenty years. "Listen to me. All of you. It is time for you to continue your journey without me. I'm very proud to have been your master," my father punched a fist to his hand and bowed. We returned the gesture, and I watched with a sadness that felt as if my heart was being torn in two, as he turned his back to us and walked over to stand by the Moon Pool. I finally turned away and led the way out, but I felt such guilt at abandoning my father at his time of greatest need. It went against everything I was, but I had to fallow his last request.

When we reached the bottom of the stairs, I yowled loudly, "This is an emergency. Everyone must evacuate. Tai Lung is coming." There was immediate rush and hurry as everyone panicked, and I knew I had to help them survive. The pain in my ribs hurt, but leaving my father to die hurt worse.

"Come little one. Let's find your mama," Monkey told a baby piglet he found, and I focused my mind on organizing the villagers and making sure everyone left.

"Viper, gather the southern farmers. Mantis, the north. Crane, light the way," I ordered, giving Crane the lantern I held lightly with my left paw. Narrowing my eyes in concentration, I asked a rabbit who was struggling with a wooden cart if she needed help, and then took it from her.

I never looked back. I didn't care what happened to Po. My father was to die.

Time passed slowly, but the storm gradually moved on, and it was light, contrasting to the dismal scene. My master was probably dead by now, as I had heard the sounds from their raging battle stop. All of a sudden, I felt a strange after blast from something full of immense chi power, and covered the little baby bunny I was holding after I had maneuvered the wagon up and down stairs. The chi felt good, and I knew immediately that someone had won. Was Master Shifu alive? I quickly ordered the others to turn back, and so we started to head back to our home. "Look, the Dragon Warrior," a pig gasped in amazement and I looked. No way. He had won? A hazy image of a warrior coming forth with a hat and cape turned into Po with a pan on his head and a cooking apron. Oh well…he had won! And hopefully my father was alright.

"That's my boy. That big loving kung fu warrior is my son," a goose proudly announced and I recognized him from when the dragon warrior was first chosen. Must be his adopted father… Po hugged his father and the pan rolled off his head, only to be quickly stopped by Mantis. I was impressed he had defeated Tai Lung, and I knew that I had been wrong about him. He had truly saved the valley.

"Hey guys," he greeted us. Padding forward, I stopped, smiled, and punched a hand to my fist.

"Master," I murmured, closing my eyes. Everyone else copied my gesture.

"Master?" he chuckled, and then remembered, "Master Shifu." Turning, he began to race up the stairs and I felt wearily hopeful. Maybe my master was still alive. Maybe we were not too late.

The whole village and I waited for the Dragon Warrior to return, hopefully with my father. He did. When I saw my father alive, limping down the stairs, I couldn't help padding up to him and hugging him. "Master, you're alright," I purred. It was a gentle hug, but I loved him with every ounce of my being and I was so glad he was alive and not dead, I felt almost like crying out of pure joy.

The rest of the day was one big party that celebrated Po defeating Tai Lung. I went to the doctor and got my ribs set, and afterwards, I allowed myself to try Mr. Ping's, Po's father's, noodle soup. The restaurant was quite homey, and I felt comfortable in it.

When night fell, I listened to Po talk to the other's eager questions about his win, and I even listened just to amuse myself. I couldn't help feeling guilty though, and when I got the chance, I dropped back behind the others and murmured, "I-I should have helped you. We all should have."

"If you did, he would have killed you for sure. He nearly killed me and…if anything happened to you because of me, I wouldn't be able to bear it. You're my daughter and I'm sorry I trained you deprived of love. I was too fearful you'd become like Tai Lung," he admitted, and I felt all the sourness of years before melt away with these words, and I brushed up next to him with a happy flick of my tail.

"I love you too," I murmured, allowing a purr to enter my voice. Together, we walked home once more, as father and daughter.


	12. My Master's Family

Months passed since my father and I were finally at peace. I was more attached to Po then I had definitely been before, but it was very platonic. Still, he was a good friend and I knew he would never betray us. Today was a winter day and despite the rarity of snow in our winters, it was snowing a lot and the whole village's mood seemed to suddenly spike up. Even so, I was surprised when Master Shifu allowed us to have a day of training, and I believe the last day he did it was the day we became masters. Anyway, Po was taking total advantage of it. Already, he was throwing snowballs at us.

Ducking one, I pitched my own at his face, and I just barely missed it, "Don't aim where I am. Aim where I'm going to be," I advised him, but before he started to fallow my advice, he spotted Master Shifu. He was obviously done meditating and had come outside to enjoy the weather. Po quietly snuck behind him, and then threw a snowball at the back of his head. Quick as a flash, my master did a jumping backflip to stop the snowball before it landed in his hand as he hit the ground. Even now, I was still amazed at how fast he could move.

"Nice catch, Master," Po laughed. Immediately, Master Shifu pitched a snowball with deadlier accuracy than I had, catching the panda straight in the face.

"If only you could catch as well," I couldn't help mocking him. He looked so silly covered in snow like the goofy guy he was. Viper laughed, trying to cover it up as he looked disappointedly at her and Mantis snorted, obviously fed up with talk and ready for action.

"Gotcha," Monkey suddenly chuckled, and I turned to find a snowball heading towards my face. Not surprised in the least, I raised a calm paw to catch it softly and then crush it harshly in my claws. Raising my paws and spreading my feet, I took up a pose ready for attack. Leaning down, not taking my eyes of Monkey's blue gaze for a second, I silently rolled a pawful of snow into a hard round ball.

"Tigress, don't-" Crane started and I paused momentarily. If he was going to get all high and mighty about playing…. Viper stopped his protesting by throwing a snowball to hit him in the chest, making him stagger back and squawk with indignation. Immediately, this triggered everyone into throwing snowballs and I laughed at the humorous scene. Here, respected masters of kung fu, were having a snowball fight, of all things. As I stood there, I dropped my snowball and crossed my arms, with a small smirk on my face.

Suddenly, a sharp coldness trickled down the back of my neck and I screeched loudly, turned, and began violently cuffing whoever it was who dared to put snow down the back of my shirt. Unsurprisingly enough, it was Po. He quickly backed away and with a shudder, I shook the cold snow out of my fur and glared at him. Seeing very little reaction, I hissed.

"Pussy," he stated and I stared at him with total disbelief. This panda could be such a child at times.

"What did you call me?" I growled.

"Erm…"he stuttered and I almost laughed as he immediately scented of fear. He hadn't wanted to hurt my feelings, I knew. Grabbing a pawful of snow, I faked a launch at him, before turning to whip it at Master Shifu, who had been standing here the whole time.

"Tigress…" he warned, having already dodged my missile, but I just chased him around. Whirling snowballs at him as I ran after him as fast as I could go without hitting anybody, I couldn't help having fun with my father. "What kind of respect is this?" he yelped, having growed bored of running from me, and leaping up high into the tree he usually played his flute under.

"Snow war!" Crane proclaimed, and Viper, Mantis, and I teamed up against Po, Crane, Monkey, and Master Shifu. We were about to have a snow war, but then I heard something, and before Crane could continued speaking, I paused and growled.

"Shh!" I whispered to him.

"Don't 'shh' me," Crane protested, sounding rather irked, but I just ignored him. His feelings weren't of great importance at the moment. I could hear a funny knocking sound on the door, that I hadn't heard earlier.

"Shut up birdbrain!" I growled, angrily silencing him again. The others fell silent too and I knew they were looking oddly at me, but I didn't care. I could have sworn there was someone at the door. The knocks on the door came again, and this time I wasn't the only one to have heard them.

"Hello," a small voice called and I knew I had been right. Someone was here and it sounded like they needed help. I wondered what was going on, and I saw Master Shifu head hesitantly towards the door. Who was it? Did he know whoever it was?

"Hello," my master replied as he opened the door a short ways. To my bewilderment, I saw the newcomer…and she looked similar to my master. Of course, she was a red panda. Her fur had more red as a normal red panda had, and it was a beautiful bright red, and her eyes were a rich deep brown. They must have been related though, because she had a similar facial bone structure to Master Shifu at least twenty years ago. Who was she?

"My name is Lucy. Are you Shifu?" she asked, and I felt much more confused. They were clearly related, but she must never have met him. Judging by the bewildered look on my master's face, he didn't seem to have known her either. The others behind me were gaping in shock and I heard another pair of feet coming up the stairs.

"I'm Jet. Hi," he told us as he finished climbing the stairs, rather windily I might add. He looked more like Master Shifu, with definitely more white fur than his sister and a shade the same as twenty year younger Master Shifu would have looked like. His eyes were more of a hazel color and he was nearly the same height as my master, tough he was clearly younger.

"Yes, I'm Master Shifu," the old red panda told them, and I stared at him. Had they really not met before? Were they his children? They resembled him a lot, but they couldn't be siblings with him, seeing as they didn't know him and were much younger. In fact, they looked at least my age and I wondered if they were twins.

"Wait…who…what?" Po started, clearly too surprised to finish either of his sentences.

"Who are you?" I asked the two. They had obviously already given their names, but who were they compared to Master Shifu? "Shifu…" I started to say, but it was so awkward. I didn't really want to ask him if these were his children. Or whoever they were.

"What?" my master growled and I could tell he was becoming upset that he didn't know what was going on and we were starting to. How could he not tell though? The two red pandas obviously resembled him.

"Oh my," Viper sighed and I saw her slither closer to peer at the two.

"Don't you know…?" I started to ask Master Shifu. Surely he would know if he had children. I just couldn't see him as the type to have a girlfriend, much less to leave her.

"We're your children," Lucy helpfully pointed out and I stared at Master Shifu again to see his reaction. At her news, he stiffened and I could feel shock and confusion radiating from him.

"I actually did not see that one coming…Ow!" Po yelped indignantly as I swatted the side of his head with a sheathed paw. Couldn't he tell this was a bad moment to be putting in his little weird words of encouragement or whatever they were? Well, this was certainly something I had not expected. I was at first a little disappointed that I would not really be as close as a daughter to my master, but then I knew I could still be his friend and sort-of daughter. The two children were not quite young enough to be children, seeing as they were almost our ages, but they were still so small. Not that I considered Master Shifu or Mantis a child…

"Okay, what the heck is going on?" Mantis asked, and I rolled my eyes. Couldn't he see what was obviously going on?

"I don't know, but it's a doozy," Monkey sighed and I had nothing to say to that. Great. Thanks for letting us know.

"She survived," Master Shifu murmured and I started with surprise. Of course. If he had thought for some reason that the one he had…mated…with died, of course he wouldn't expect children.

"OMG," Viper gasped and I stared at her. Well, she had guessed too then.

"Come to the kitchen and I will tell you," Master Shifu said and I fallowed him, along with the others, as he brought us into the training hall to explain. His two children entered, looking around with apparent amazement as Po once had. I didn't really pay attention to them right now though, for I could tell there was a long story coming from my master. As we sat there, he looked kind of awkward and Po started out by asking him a question.

"Why did you never tell us you had children?" Po asked, "They're cute!" Well, I guess they were in a small fuzzy sort of way. I noticed that Lucy had a tail surprisingly longer than Master Shifu, and red with only a few jagged stripes. It was very swishy and feminine. Jet, on the other hand, had a shorter one, but it was still quite fluffy. I think their tails were the most noticeable thing on a red panda, although in Master Shifu's case, his electric blue eyes were.

"I never knew I did. Their mother, Ming Yue, was my adopted sister. A long time ago, Tehn-Xiu killed our mother. Our father died of illness a few months before we were born. One of her friends, Baihehua, a female fox; Ming Yue, and I went to train under Oogway with Xiongmeng, of Master Flying Rhino; and Yingzi, a male wolf. Ming Yue married, we adopted a son, Tai Lung, and a few years later, she became pregnant. Tehn-Xiu and his army attacked during that time, and he killed Baihehua, and his mate stole my wife. I was unconscious when it happened and Tai Lung and I were both devastated. Xiongmeng left, Yingzi could not kill his own kind, and I kept going off to search for her. Tai Lung was alone and when I returned for good, he tried so hard to please me." The next thing he added for his children's sake, "Eventually, he betrayed m, twenty years passed, and he tried to kill the Dragon Warrior and I, but he didn't succeed." His long story finished, I was amazed. His adopted sister…was his wife. And where was she now then? How was he at peace without her…or was this one of the very few times he had truly given up?

"Whao!" Monkey gasped.

"Where is she anyway?" Crane asked the question that I had been thinking. I was a little surprised when I caught on that Master Shifu had never said Tai Lung was killed, but then, I suppose, he didn't want to make Po feel bad. I knew he was still upset about the fact that he had killed Tai Lung.

"Yes, why didn't she come?" Master SHifu asked, and I braced myself. She would have loved him, I knew, and if she could, she would have came.

"Is she dead?" my father asked and I wished violently in my head that the answer was no. I couldn't stand for him to have more heartbreak after he had just gotten peace at last.

"No!" Lucy growled and I said yes in my head. At least she wasn't dead. But where was she?

"Our village was visited by a wolf pack. They told us to leave within three days and took our mother and several others as prisoners, threatening that they would kill them if our village didn't leave by the deadline. It took us nearly a day to find you guys with the other villages' help. We need you to help rescue her," Jet told us, his tail twitching ominously. I felt relief that the answer to this dilemma could be solved so easily. We knew how to fight. We were the best.

"How did she escape the first time?" Master Shifu asked them. I wondered that too, because if they were good enough to capture her, how did she get free?

"She was unconscious when they captured her at first and when she woke up, she was blindfolded. They obviously underestimated her because she fought her way free," Lucy explained, "After that, she arrived at a red panda village, but she never found her way back here." How was that possible if she had came with Shifu when they were younger to the Jade Palace?

"But the red panda village is only a mile away," Master Shifu protested with confusion and I knew he was asking the same question I had in my head.

"There's more than one in China," Jet explained.

"Lead the way then. The rest of you, stay here," my master ordered us and I felt a spark of indignation. There was no way that I was going to leave him again. Even if the wolves didn't sound too much of a threat, I wasn't about to take any chances. Besides, there hadn't been much interesting going on in the valley since Po had saved it from Tai Lung. I was a little bored…

"It's too dangerous!" I growled at him. I wasn't entirely sure if that was true, but I wasn't about to let him go off alone. I suppose he had Jet and Lucy to help, but they hadn't been trained as we had.

"She's right. We need more warriors to fight our way into the fortress. They've been steadily increasing their territory, and they captured a castle from the tortoises," Lucy said and I felt a brief surge of anger. The tortoises were peaceful creatures, and apart from Oogway, few new how to fight.

"We've been against odds far worse before, and the wolves are rogues with brute force, not warrior with strategies and skill. They will not be hard to beat," Master Shifu glared at me, but I glared right back. There was no way that I was giving in. He may be our master, but we were masters too, and we had the right to decide.

"You left us behind once. You're not doing it again!" Crane shouted angrily and my gaze flicked over to him, surprised at his outburst. Usually, he was more quiet than this.

"Exactly," Mantis agreed.

"Right on," Monkey added.

"Count me in," Viper eagerly hissed.

"Let's kick butt! Ya hear that, wolf boys? Get ready to feel the thunder!" Po yelled happily. I rolled my eyes and shook my head at his way of expressing his eagerness and shuffled a few feet away from him.

"So deal with it," I told my master.

"Fine, we'll leave in the morning, arrive at night, and fight the next day," he agreed, and I looked closely at him, dubious. He hardly ever gave in so quickly….What was he doing? Then, I was pretty sure I figured it out. His tracking skills were good, so he was probably going to leave his children out of the fight instead. Well, they wouldn't be too happy about that, I guessed. I would not be part of that plan.

"Meanwhile…can we do training?" Jet asked, and I looked at him too. He was almost acting like Po when he first came here, eager for action.

"What?" Master Shifu asked. He clearly hadn't been paying much attention.

"Can we?" Lucy added in.

"Our mother taught us a lot," Jet helpfully said, and I wondered how much training Ming Yue had remembered. Was she as good as Master Shifu?

"I'd like to see how they do," Monkey tried to help them out with convincing my master.

"You could teach them too," Mantis added.

"No, you can all practice with each other. I'll join you at dinnertime," Master Shifu said instead, surprising me. Where on earth was he going? Wouldn't he want to spend time with his children?

As he left, I watched him and murmured softly, " We should follow him."

"What?" Po looked at me with surprise.

"Without him knowing," I patiently added. I wanted to know, and we would use stealth mode to watch him.

The others followed me as I quietly lead the way. To my relief, it seemed that Lucy and Jet could do it quite well. Only Po had a little trouble, as usual. Oh well… When we arrived at Master's Shifu's destination, we hid in the bushes and I stared with surprise. Po's toe claws scraped through the snow and hit roof tiles, for where we were hiding, we were on the roof behind a snow bank. The roof went along a wall that formed a square around what looked like a different training area. I made a motion for him to be quiet and peered around the drift. It didn't look like Master SHifu had noticed. He wouldn't take kindly to us spying on him. This place was so cool though. I wondered why we had never been there.

Our training hall had the Field of Flames, Seven Talon Rings, Jade Tortoise, Gator Gauntlet, and Swinging Claws. This one had a field of wires that could be set on fire. The seven talon rings were connected by the tips of their blades to form a high wall. The tortoise he balanced on was made of wood instead of jade. The gator gauntlet was made of iron instead of wood. The swinging claws had large ax heads instead of wooden clubs. This whole setup was amazing and we all gaped at the training course. Once I thought about it, it kind of made sense though. He was much too powerful to practice on our training course.

Watching him, I barely saw him move as he flipped and contorted his body to leap through the obstacle with the flaming wires. His feet barely touched the ground as he sped through with an amazing speed and agility that even Mantis could not match. I guessed speed was the key point that was what the practice was for.

As he moved on to the axes, he leaped onto the twirling wooden snakes, keeping balanced and strongly flipping and dancing to avoid the speed at which the axes came flying at him. I recognized snow leopard style, and was surprised, though I naturally accepted that he had probably mastered all the types of kung fu. Suddenly, he flipped forward and shot his right leg out to smash directly into the flat of one of the axes. Metal shards sparkled in the air as they flew every which way. Done with that, he did a triple-backflip off of it and landed in a crouch on the ground near the wall of seven talon rings. Strength had been what he was practicing on the ax obstacle but now he needed agility.

With great control of his muscles and joints, he twirled and slinked through the rings, sometimes swiftly pulling himself through by only a hand or a foot. I was amazed at how he managed to keep balance, speed, and agility all in harmony. Once he reached the top, he back-flipped off of the wall, performed several extreme kung fu moves in the air, and landed on his hands, bouncing immediately to his feet.

Next, he leaped up high, and then to my shock, came down on the wooden tortoise, but just as it immediately sank under his weight, he began to flit around the edges, backward and forward to keep the lightweight bowl in balance. I knew he was small, and that was to his advantage on this one, I doubted any of us had such balance. He jumped off and steadied the bowl with his hand, before moving on to the last-the gator gauntlet made of iron.

This tested the reflexes, and I could immediately see, that like all the other things on this course, he was well-prepared for it. Po gasped with admiration as Master Shifu managed to avoid the hard swinging arms and tails of the gators. Even when something swung at him from behind, he seemed to notice, immediately compensating for the challenge with the agility of a cat. Sensing he was done with the course, we began to quietly sneak away through the snow. Hopefully, he had not noticed us.

'So, what would you like to do now, my students?" my master asked with a hint of humor in his voice. Darn it. Annoyed at being found out, I stood up on the roof, and so did everyone else.

"We can train now, I suppose," Lucy suggested.

"We could all spar with each other," I added, as it was one of my favorite things to do.

"Then come to the courtyard," he told us, heading off. I leaped down and the others followed me as we went. Once we got there, we immediately paired off, but my mind was not on the fight. If Master Shifu was planning on leaving without his children, I didn't want to be part of it. Po and I sparred with each other as Lucy and Jet, Viper and Mantis, and Monkey and Crane did. I taught him a few new moves, and we dodged, flipped, and punched, trying to get the best of one another. The sparring was not meant for us to hurt each other, but to practice our skills and teach ourselves new ones to help improve. We took turns practicing with each other, and I had a little fun with Po, was accustomed to fighting Crane, Monkey, Mantis, and Viper, and eventually fought Lucy, Jet, and Master Shifu. Lucy was nearly as fast as her father, and I almost underestimated her. Jet was almost as strong as me, and I was surprised by his inner ferocity. Master Shifu's mind didn't seem entirely on the fight either, and I almost landed a solid blow on him a few times, before he quickly reacted to block it.

We had dinner after a few hours of our sparring, and everyone seemed exhausted. Even I was a little bit tired. I didn't really know how Master Shifu would expect us to travel so tired, but maybe it was so Lucy and Jet would be so tired that they would sleep through our departure.

"What are you planning?" I asked my master as he headed off towards his room. I did want to know what the plans exactly were so I wouldn't get a surprise awakening early in the morning.

"I'm not Tigress," he replied and I looked at him, confused. If he was planning to bring us, why on earth would he not tell us?

"Please, whatever you're doing, just leave me out of it," I sighed, and turned away to walk towards my own room. He was such a confusing person sometimes.

Laying down, outstretched in my bed, my sleepy mind raced with confusion and thrill. A fight would be something I hadn't done in a long time and I was glad to punish evil. When we recovered Ming Yue, maybe my father would be at peace again too. I couldn't wait for tomorrow. Then, I closed my eyes.


	13. Reunion

When I woke up, I could feel it in my heart that something was wrong. Logically, if Master Shifu was going to leave without his children, he would have waken us up early. Well, I could tell by the color of the sky outside and the position of the sun, that it was almost time for the gong to clash. With a sinking feeling, I suddenly guessed what had happened. Getting up, I ran out of my room quietly and to my father's room. I didn't want to awaken anyone else yet.

His room was strictly forbidden for us to enter, but as I suspected, he wasn't there to enforce that rule. The room was pretty tidy, but I couldn't scent him from anytime later than midnight. He wasn't there. Trotting outside, I decided to ask the guards and some of the ducks who worked here if they had seen him since last night. Of course, he could be somewhere meditating or had just wandered off for a while as he occasionally did. Usually he left a note though if he had been called away.

"Zeng!" I suddenly saw the back of him and he turned with a loud squawk of surprise.

"M-m-master Tigress. What brings you out so early if you don't mind me asking?" he stuttered nervously.

'Have you seen Master Shifu?" I asked seriously.

"N-no, he l-left last night," he replied, "one of the guards t-t-told me so. It was so weird though…"

"What?" I meowed.

"He didn't tell us where he was going. He just left through the front doors. He never forgets to tell us where he's going," Zeng murmured.

"Listen, go down to the village and see if you can find him. I don' t think he's down there. In fact, I think I know where he is. But, please check," I ordered him.

"Yes, Master Tigress, " he knew better than to question me further, and quickly flapped off, swerving sharply to avoid flying into a tree.

Waiting for a while, I watched him as he came flying back to me. He shook his head and I left him at that. My suspicions were confirmed. Master Shifu had left alone…again.

"Get up!" I yowled loudly when I returned to the bedrooms. I was so mad at him right now it was hard to think straight, but I had to tell the others. I wasn't really sure what to do. We could never catch up to him, but I refused to let him go again. I heard a bit of muttering and confusion as everyone got up, but they were too slow. Time was of the very essence now. "Up!" I yelled again, more firmly this time.

"What's going on?" Lucy asked, stumbling as Jet tripped out of their room and bumped into her.

"Shifu's gone!" I growled. She flinched and for a moment, I felt a little bad for snapping at her. I was worried.

"The gong hasn't rung yet, you know," Crane pointed out to me, and then it loudly crashed and he sighed.

"I know! I woke up earlier though, and he's nowhere in the Jade Palace!" I snarled angrily. "I even asked Zeng to search for him in the village," I added pointedly.

"So?" Po grumbled, annoyed at being awoken, "Maybe he had to do something in the village."

"I don't think so…" Jet muttered and everyone looked at him in surprise. What made him so sure? Did he know something that we didn't?

"Why not? It's not like he's very open and he might have been called away on a secret mission," Po mischievously snickered.

"You really take too many of our stories literally. The villagers always assume the weirdest things and make up or add to our adventures," I rolled my eyes at their stupidity. I didn't really know why the villagers had to gossip all the wrong things anyway.

"He left behind something…or at least I think it's his," Jet started. What would he leave behind? Curious, I pushed past him and went into their room. The others fallowed behind me and I peered around until I saw it.

"Why would he leave his flute in their room?" Po asked me and I flinched. I knew why.

"That's mom's," Lucy gasped. They knew what this meant now. The message was clear.

"Really?" Jet asked.

"Yes, she role us once, long ago. Don't you see what this means?" Lucy glared at her brother. Now he figured it out.

"He's gone to rescue her by himself," he realized.

"Why would he go alone though?" Lucy asked, sounding thoroughly confused. I knew why. Because that was just the way he was and he was so annoying.

"He did the same thing with Tai Lung! He's so impatient…and stubborn…and insane!" I snarled angrily, but most of all at me. I should have known. I should have stopped him this time. Why couldn't he just do what we said for once?

"But you love him," Lucy quietly murmured.

"Like it or not, he did this because he cares. Still, we should go help him," Viper hissed.

"I know!" I growled. We would probably be too late anyway. Though I did not doubt Master Shifu's fighting skills, his heart has often got in the way of his battles.

"Can we have breakfast quickly?" Po suggested in a wary tone.

"No!," Monkey groaned with annoyance and Crane used a wing to snap the hungry panda on the back of the head.

"Ow…sorry," he muttered, not sounding at all that sorry. I knew it was just his way of calming himself though when he was upset, and now, he was definitely upset.

"How can we catch up with him anyway? He runs faster than anyone I've ever seen and he obviously went during the night. Although he won't attack at night or on the day the wolves attack, I'm pretty sure," Jet voiced my fears.

"Do you even remember the way?" Mantis asked him.

"I do," Lucy admitted and I was surprised. She had only come here once in her lifetime and she remembered the way? Wow…she must have a really good memory. None of us were as good at tracking as Master Shifu was, so it was good that Lucy remembered the way.

"Alright," Viper said and now I wondered what to do. We were never going to catch up with Master Shifu. What could take him a day would take us two.

"We could ask the cheetah runners for help," Crane pointed out and I growled. No.

"I hate to say this, but are you insane?" Viper gasped. Okay, that might have been a little harsh.

"Why?" Lucy asked.

"They are the five running sisters and five brothers of the Zou family. They all keep the family name. The sisters are Zou Meng, Zou Feng, Zou Shui, Zou Shi, and Zou Nu. The brothers are Zou Ri, Zou Huo, Zou Xin, Zou Zai, and Zou Hei," I answered her. I remembered them from one of the battles we were in long ago, and I remembered too their savagery and willingness to kill. "As nephews of the emperor, they will possibly allow us to ride them. Shifu has done the emperor and them many great favors before," I continued.

"Ride them?" Jet asked skeptically.

"They are warriors, perhaps not quite as skilled as us, but feared nonetheless. They don't bother us and we don't bother them. Though Shifu has helped them many times, we still don't agree with their demands to always get in a fight," Viper hissed, glaring at me. What? They certainly were impressive, but that didn't mean that I liked them….

"So their names are running dream, running wind, running water, running arrow, running passion, running sun, running fire, running heart, running calamity, and running black?" Lucy asked me and I nodded. Their names were a little odd, but then again, they were a very traditional family.

"Very traditional family," Monkey echoed my thoughts aloud, and shrugging, much to Mantis's annoyance as he almost fell off of his shoulder.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Lets go!" Po exclaimed, but I had reserve concerning the running cheetahs. I didn't want a bloody fight on our paws. Master Shifu would definitely be angry if we did that.

"Yeah, they're not the friendliest, but that's no reason not to go ask them," Mantis told me, seeing the disapproving look on my features.

"You just don't like asking for help," Crane mocked me, and I growled, baring my teeth at him. That was not the reason I didn't want to ask them.

"I'm fine!" I indignantly snarled at him, whipping my tail back and forth a few times angrily. Then, I sighed as I knew that we had to get there. Even if Master Shifu was mad, we were doing it for his own good. "Let's get going. The sooner we fetch the daft fur ball home, the sooner we can all stop worrying," I growled. I was worried for him, but he couldn't keep doing everything by himself.

We each left to our rooms and the dining area to pack money, food, and clothes. We couldn't travel with heavy carriage or the cheetahs wouldn't be able to run as fast.

"Come on, let's go," I called everyone and we al ran out into the snow. Luckily for us, it was not too cold out and Po could actually keep up with us for a good while. We ran a while until we left the Valley of Peace and arrived at the cheetah's village. I began searching for the door to their house, but couldn't find it or their house. They preferred to live among their people.

"Here it is," Viper told me and we headed over to where she was pointing with her tail.

Walking up to the house, I knocked a few times with one paw.

The door creaked open and a cheetah's voice hissed angrily, "Go away!"

"We're not interested!" another snarled. Who did they think we were-common salespeople? Enraged, I jammed a paw into the crack of the door just as the cheetahs were about to close it.

"We are not selling anything! We've come to request your service in battle!" I growled quickly through the door crack to them.

"Who are you?" one of the cats asked us, opening the door and revealing ten total cheetahs hiding behind it.

Pointing a paw to everyone, I meowed, "My name is Tigress, this is Monkey, Crane, Viper, Mantis, Po, Lucy, and Jet. We train at the Jade Palace under Master Shifu." Even though I knew we had to introduce and tell our story to them, I was beginning to feel quite impatient.

"Where is he? We have not seen him for a long time. He is a good friend and has helped us on numerous occasions," one of the male cheetahs asked hopefully. I exchanged glances with the others. I had known that Master Shifu had helped them before, but not that many times. Geez, he was busy…

"Has something happened? Something bad?" one of the females asked and I was surprised her guess had come so close to what was occurring.

"Yes," I answered, not revealing everything at once. I needed to know first if they would help.

"I see you have quite a story to tell. Come in and we will listen," we were invited in and sat in some comfy chairs as the ten crowded around us.

"Lucy and Jet are Master Shifu's children. They found us and they need help in their village," I began.

"Of red pandas," Monkey added.

"Obviously," I hissed, "Anyway, wolves took some of the red pandas hostage, including Master Shifu's wife, Ming Yue. They gave the village three days to clear out or they would start to kill the hostages."

"Why would Master Shifu not be here with you then?" one of the cheetahs meowed questioningly.

"Have you seen how fast the guy can run?" Mantis gaped at them and they hissed, insulted.

"We came for your help because you're the only ones who could catch up to him," Viper quickly placated them.

"He left to save his wife himself and he left us all behind, so as you can see, we are in need of speed assistance," I finished. Alright, can we go now?

"We will come. It may take us a few minutes to get ready," one of the bigger males told us. Despite that I knew the names of the cheetah runners and they all had different color eyes, it was still hard to remember who was who.

"Of course," I mewed smoothly, but I couldn't help my tail twitching impatiently. True to their word though, they were ready quite quickly and immediately began introducing themselves and proclaiming who they would allow to have who.

"I am Zou Shi and I will take Tigress," an emerald-eyed cheetah addressed me and the others.

The rest of them introduced themselves, but I hardly listened. I knew I was being impatient and patience is a virtue, but it was one that I did not have right now. Who knew what my father was doing? He had already gone to his death and left u behind and though I had reasonable doubt that he would die now, I was still worried for him.

"Tigress," Zou Shi called my name and I looked at her, confused as her whiskers twitched with amusement. She knew I hadn't been listening. "It's time to go," she repeated. They all strapped on running boots that I assumed were protection against the snow.

"Right," I meowed. I followed them outside and we each got onto the backs of the cheetahs. Immediately, they began to race on all fours and I was amazed how they seemed to move as one. Slowing and quickening, they matched each other for pace and ran so quickly that I shivered in the cold winter breeze. At least it wasn't snowing.

"Do you know the was there?" Zou Shi suddenly asked me and I paused for a moment. Were we even going in the right direction right now?

"No, but Lucy does," I answered hesitantly. She did know, didn't she?

"She's just a child. Surely you know the way too. Haven't the furious five traveled all of china?" Zou Huo scoffed and I flared at him furiously. Was he suggesting I knew the way and was just lying for fun? Stupid cat.

"No, she knows the way and she will lead," I snarled back in reply. He needed to be put in his place. Stunned into submission, he simply nodded and retreated so that Zou Meng could lead.

Watching Lucy carefully, I saw her close her eyes, wait a while, and then whisper in Zou Meng's ear. The double lines of cheetahs swerved a little towards the west. Maybe she could remember things better when she closed her eyes.

"But that only leads to an old abandoned forest," Zou Huo growled with annoyance and I glared at him again. Was he determined to keep interrupting our journey with nonsense? Before I could scathingly reply, Jet beat me to it.

"You're just afraid of crossing the mountains. You've never seen any forest, only heard of it," Jet told him off and I looked at him with confusion. How did he know? It seemed the twins were a little bit odd, but then again, they were Shifu's children, so I supposed they were bound to be. "Erm…we passed that way as we escaped and there are no forests, much less an abandoned one that would hide anything dangerous," he stammered. He smelled guilty and I knew he was lying, but would he gain to lie now?

"The mountains have a safe passage way that we can go through quickly and easily. Then, we head around the left side of a village and continue southwest again," Lucy drew the attention away from him and he looked relieved.

"It will take nearly eight hours I presume to reach the Palace of the Emperor. We've never gone farther than that, but we can get supplies there and you all may go on alone," Zou Meng told us. That long? And why would they not fight? Not that I had a problem with it, but since we knew them and asked for their help, they had always been eager to fight.

"You're not fighting with us?" I asked her, feeling rather surprised.

"No, we like a good battle, but we never go past the emperor's palace. It's simply not done from us. He rules part of that area and we don't mess with his city and blank area around it," Zou Shi elaborated for me.

"But the wolves are attacking innocents. You can fight them," Lucy protested. That was true, but I could see they were pretty adamant about this.

"The emperor takes care of his own city and would not appreciate our help, no matter how wise or tactful it may seem," Zou Shi continued. Did she really know the emperor very well? It seemed many believed he was a tyrant, but the little information I had heard before from Master Shifu made him seem tolerable.

"We could just ask him this once. Besides, maybe he'll want to help," Zou Meng put in.

"Maybe. When we get there, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask," Zou Shi replied.

"Good," I cut their discussion off. It was bad enough to be stuck with them for eight hours, and I didn't want them to start fighting now.

In short, the journey was very long. Though we did stop to stretch, nap, break for the bathroom, and eat, I was really glad when it was over. I wanted to find Master Shifu now and though we had only just arrived at the emperor's palace, I couldn't wait to leave. We were so close.

We all had weapons that were easily seen, but that didn't discourage a dozen tiger guards to stop us.

"We are the Zou family, nephews to the emperor himself. Let us pass," Zou Meng instructed them in a cool voice, but the tigers only glanced at each other before answering.

"The emperor is busy at the moment. We will inform him of your visit, but I think it's best that you move on," the tallest one said and I snarled angrily. This was important. We would not just be turned away like commoners who visited just for the fun of it. I was about to step forward and tell him where I thought he should move on, but Zou Meng interceded.

"Please, it's urgent. Is he still in this village?" she tried to wheedle information out of them. Well, that didn't work. Seeing the looks on their faces, they were definitely not convinced.

"He is busy and we thank you for expressing your worries," the shorter one insisted and he had such a snide look on his face, that I couldn't help starting to tell him off.

"Listen you-" I snarled before I felt a tail wrap firmly around my mouth. Furious, I yanked it away and turned to glare at its owner. It was Zou Shi and she gave me a look that clearly said not to speak. Did she here what trash these tigers were saying?

"We'll just be going then," Zou Shi meowed and nodded in the other direction, quietly ushering us away. I couldn't believe how we had just been treated. Once we were out of their sight and hearing range, I turned angrily on her.

"What was that for? Those thick headed males wouldn't have put up much of a fight-" I began. It was definitely true in this case and I was pretty sure the others agreed with me.

"So far, we have done nothing wrong and there is all the chance that the emperor might come with us. If you give him reason to think you're an enemy, no matter how skilled you are, he will make sure there is no place you can hide and nowhere to fight. Ever since his father's untimely death, he has ruled with a cold claw. We thought he might learn from his father's mistakes, but he grows more paranoid by the minute. He doesn't eve completely trust us, for goodness sakes," she interrupted me again, but I sensed something wasn't right with her answer. Master Shifu had never had words like this for the emperor and I had a feeling she was covering up the emperor's reputation to make him sound more fierce.

"If he's afraid of danger, how does he stay emperor?" Jet asked, but I could also sense that he knew they were lying and was simply testing them.

"He is not afraid of danger, far from it. One of the bravest fighters I've ever seen, but the worst at judgment. His answer to many things is fight, and if he joins us, we will have a powerful ally. However, if he thinks this is all a plot, he doesn't take kindly to betrayal. Do not underestimate the fact that he is emperor. With his soldiers, he's mighty. If we find him, do not let him insist on fighting no matter what. At least we have a sense of justice. He is sly and bloodthirsty." Okay, now it was definitely apparent that she was lying because she didn't think we would find him and he could contradict these challenges.

"We're not alone," Lucy calmly murmured and I turned to her in surprise. Who was it that could sneak up on us like this?

I paused and nervously scented the air. I recognized both of the scents, but they must not have been imprinted in my sensory long enough. Then, three figures emerged from the forest-like area surrounding the castle. I silently gasped with both fury and amazement.

"I heard you have need of me. I am Emperor Shan Hu," a male tiger growled, and I found myself mesmerized in his eyes. I knew those eyes once upon a time… Scars traced his whole face although he looked nearly my same age.

"Xiongmeng," a rhino introduced himself, but I already knew him. He was known to many more as Master Flying Rhino. I couldn't see his army, but along with the emperor, he would make a fine ally. Then, my gaze froze on the third arrival.

"Tai Lung," the massive snow leopard purred and I felt a rage so powerful I could barely see. How dare the betrayer live?

"How did you survive?" I snarled with complete rage. Unsheathing my claws, I bristled my fur and lunged at him. I was beyond caring what anyone else thought. I wanted him dead. Now. Snarling, I slashed at him with my claws, twirling and flipping to lash out with my hind claws too, but he parried them back with an ease that made me choke with anger.

"Listen to me, will you?" he irritably growled and I paused. This clearly wasn't working.

"Why should I?" I snarled. He had given us no reason at al to trust him. He had taken my master's love, hurt him, and tried to kill him multiple times. I was not about to let him sweet-talk his way out of this.

"Because I can help you! I want to tell Shifu I'm sorry. My anger has always been at myself, but unlike you, I take it out on others physically," he teased and I bristled even more. He didn't deserve my presence, much less Master Shifu's.

"And you're just happening to change your mind after a twenty year grudge?" I challenged, but to my surprise, he looked a little shameful. I wasn't ready to believe him yet, but he seemed a little sorry. No! I mentally growled at myself. He deserved whatever pain came to him after his evil deeds.

"Master Oogway sent me into a coma-like trance the day I truly lost my temper. I could only wake if something powerful enough from a memory came back to me. Zeng gave me that chance. When his feather fell to me, I could scent my master. My anger was still with me though, and I didn't have enough time to relflect on what I should have done. I changed my mind when I almost killed Shifu. His innocence reminded me that he had always been a good father, and that would never change. He always thought of me first. I thought I'd never get a chance to make up for it, but I do now and you can't stop me!" I felt the feeling behind his words, but I still snarled at him. No matter how sorry it was, nothing could be put right and he would probably betray us in a matter of hours.

"Believe him Tigress. He's telling the truth," Po admitted and I turned to him with betrayal in my eyes. How could he know? Unless he knew Tai Lung had been alive, and had done nothing?

"How do you know? In fact, why is he still alive?" I snarled.

"He is telling the truth," Jet confirmed and I turned to him, livid. This was not his business.

"How would you know either?" I protested.

"I can just tell," he muttered. Yeah, sure. He was lying now. Still, that wasn't bad compared to Tai Lung. How dare he return? Oh well. I would tolerate him for now, but when he betrayed us, I would kill him.


	14. Battle

Po certainly had some explaining to do because of Tai Lung's return. And explain he did…

I figured out the secret of the Wuxi hold. That it only distracts while you do something. When I did that, I didn't know it. Tai Lung made fire somehow, and I suppose you could say it was contained in air. The pressure made the many bubbles of it burst, creating a strange effect. He protected both of us from it and told me all this. Then, he left," Po said resignedly. I was as mystified by this explanation as everyone else, but I decided not to question it for now. It would be the others' mistake to let Tai Lung return, but I would wait until Master Shifu saw him. Surely he would drive Tai Lung away.

"And I promise I will harm none of you," Tai Lung's words inflamed me and I whipped back into aggression.

"What good is the word of a traitor?" I growled, but I relaxed more.

"One thing you can count on…Shifu and I don't ever intentionally lie," Tai Lung leered and I growled softly in warning. Just because I would tolerate him for a while didn't mean he could think he was better than me.

"That is true," Xiongmeng confirmed, but I glared at him until Po broked the awkward silence.

"So what's the emperor doing here?" Po asked.

"Ahem, the emperor is coming to help Shifu. He saved me once when I was very little," Shan Hu told us and I felt a spark of surprise. Figures Master Shifu would save a tiger.

"We're not going in to slaughter every wolf on sight," I growled at him, unable to properly vent my anger on Tai Lung.

"My enemies seem to have made up a lot of rumors about me I think," he muttered and I turned accusingly toward Zou Shi, who ducked her head with slight humiliation. I was right. She had made it up to make him appear fiercer.

"Well, we ask your permission to battle in your territory," Zou Meng broke in and he nodded curtly.

"Of course, I'm coming aren't I?" he growled. The cheetahs separated so that they could allow the new arrivals to ride. An hour of running passed and I boiled in silent anger. I was also worried for Master Shifu and wondered if our short delay in arriving would matter. Jet and Lucy began talking amongst themselves and I saw they were getting the cheetahs to stop. We might as well rest for the night. I figured the wolves wouldn't attack at night and neither would Master Shifu, so it would be safe to sleep.

When we stopped, I took Xiongmeng and the emperor off to the side to talk about battle strategies while the others slept. Unsure of what to do without Master Shifu here, we finally agreed to wait for him and then decide. If he didn't find us by tomorrow morning, we would attack. It was almost day break and I inwardly groaned that in the several hours of discussion, we had really not gotten much accomplished. Of course, we had taken turns keeping watch. Yawning, I settled off to sleep. Maybe things would be better in the morning.

I awoke to a loud bark of, "Xiongmeng!" and turned to see a full-grown wolf bundle the rhino into a snowdrift. I yawned, but sprang to my feet. Though I must have slept a few hours, it felt like a few minutes.

"Is someone attacking us?" Shan Hu asked quickly, but I could tell this wasn't attack. They must know each other, for it looked like play. And…I could now see Master Shifu coming up through the snow after the wolf.

"Shifu, how could you leave without us?" Lucy scolded him and jumped directly into my master's arms, her sudden weight bowling him over into the snow. I was so mad at him for leaving us again, but it was in his nature to protect us and I honestly couldn't bring myself to lecturing him. Instead, I teased him.

"And the brave warrior who goes off alone without telling his family anything is defeated by a little girl," I crossed my arms and twitched my tail.

"I know, I just didn't want you in danger," came his answer, which I kind of expected anyway.

"Shifu, you have to stop going off by yourself and doing things alone. We were all worried and what if you hadn't came back?" I didn't even want to think about that. He raised an eyebrow in simple disbelief and I sighed exasperatedly.

"Okay, you probably would have. Just don't keep us out of the action next time," I sighed again. Suddenly sensing someone close behind me, I whirled around to find Lucy imitating everything I had been saying mockingly. Swiping a soft, sheathed paw at her, I couldn't help a little laugh.

"He know already," she chuckled and I began to chase her through the snow as she laughed happily. Feeling the tension run out of me, I enjoyed the playing. The cheetah runners appeared to have woken up and Master Shifu gave them a strange look. Didn't he recognize them?

"Who are you?" he asked and I suddenly realized he was asking the emperor who stood behind the cheetahs.

"You should remember me Master Ice Dragon. You saved me when I was a cub," the emperor teased him and he nodded with a sigh.

"So, I suppose you're the new emperor then," he acknowledged.

"My father wasn't the best of rulers, but I have tried to learn from his mistakes although my enemies like spreading rumors of my rule," he admitted. Well, not just his enemies…

"Master," Tai Lung rumbled, but I could tell from the tension in his body that he was weary of Master Shifu's reaction. And so he should.

"You have come back?" Master Shifu asked with an almost oddness to the question. I couldn't tell if he was angry or pleased. Part of me wished he would be angry at Tai Lung and drive him away, but I couldn't help wondering if he was telling the truth.

"I wanted to wait for a chance to prove myself. I'm sincerely sorry for what I have done and I hope you can forgive me…or kill me where I stand," Tai Lung told him simply and I stared at him in disbelief. He must either be telling the truth or out of his mind to make such an offer.

"The past is history. I forgive you," Master Shifu responded solemnly and I couldn't keep my jaw from dropping in surprise. Well, I certainly hadn't expected my father to accept him that easily. Closing my mouth quickly, I glared at him as his gaze flicked towards me and sent him a silent challenge: why?

"He's a traitor! Who's to say he won't betray us all?" I quietly snarled, only to be surprised when Lucy growled at me. Even his daughter was accepting Tai Lung's return? Did craziness run in the family?

"So, when should we attack?" Yingzi carefully put in. The tension was clear and he was attempting to help relieve it.

"Tomorrow at dawn. If we attack tonight, they'll expect it," Master Shifu answered and I mentally sighed with relief. At least he had somewhat thought this through.

"And we're all armed and ready?" Yingzi addressed us all and I nodded.

"Yes," I said, feeling somewhat irked that the subject was being turned away from Tai Lung.

Yingzi seemed to be a true military wolf, for he had thought the plan carefully through, "Shifu, Jet, and Lucy should lead so the wolves underestimate us and believe they're the only ones. Xiongmeng, Tai Lung, Po, Tigress, Monkey, and Viper will charge in and drive the wolves out of the palace. While they're confused and distracted, the cheetah runners, Emperor Shan Hu, Mantis, and Crane can start shooting arrows from up here, and steadily move towards the battle. As usual, I cannot fight my own kind, but while they're gone, I can set fire to the palace. I'll make sure nobody is left inside." My father couldn't go out first, barely unprotected! I did not want him in danger. I knew he could protect himself, but if his companions' safety was compromised, he would risk everything to save them.

"I'm going with Yingzi to rescue Ming Yue and the others," he answered as if he knew that was what I was thinking.

"Lucy and Jet can't go alone," I began, before mentally smacking myself. He would be out of the fighting if he went to rescue his wife.

"I'll go with them," Tai Lung volunteered and I glared at him. Stupid suck-up. He better make sure nothing happened to Lucy and Jet or I was going to kick his butt.

"Thank you," Master Shifu acknowledged him.

"I'll go too," I quickly put in. I was going to keep my eyes on him every step of the way.

"Very well," Tai Lung growled and I could hear disapproval in each word, but I didn't really care.

"Well, let's go back to sleep then," Lucy yawned. I was almost ready to agree with her, when I saw Master Shifu cock his head slightly, as if listening to something. I was tired, but I had been up through nights before. This was nothing new.

"There aren't, by any chance, more of you coming?" he asked and I immediately tensed up. Something was wrong.

"No," Xiongmeng replied and he immediately went on defense too. We all moved closer together in a defensive pattern and listened quietly. When the clear sounds of an army came to my ears, I heard my master growl lowly.

"They're attacking now," Luc whispered awestruck and I snorted. Typical of bandit wolves to not keep to their word with the village.

"Oh, crap!" Mantis exclaimed and I sent him a silencing glance.

"Dude, chill," Monkey added.

"Look, we have to continue as planned," Crane said and I wondered how on earth that would work now.

As we moved through the bushes, I silently gasped in surprise. Not untrained few bandits we saw, but well-trained, armed warriors. There were nearly a thousand, and though we had faced larger than these numbers before, I couldn't help that small twinge of nervousness.

"What happened to only a few hundred untrained rogues?" Yingzi voiced my thoughts, clearly troubled by the odds. We would win, but I wondered at what price?

"We can still defeat them," Po tried to cheer everyone up, which failed.

"You don't believe that, and neither do I," Jet grumbled.

"We must believe that, or we're all toast," the panda replied.

"Just continued the attack as planned. Give Shifu and I a few minutes. Then, attack as you've planned," Yingzi ordered. Good thing we had brought extra weapon…including the bows and arrows we would need. Still, though I hated to kill, we might be needed to in this case. I noticed that the cheetah runners were gone and suspected that the would simply enter the battle when they saw fit.

"These are not the unwilling drafted. They're trained; loyal soldiers that will try to kill us. I think in this situation, we have no choice, but to not limit ourselves when attacking them," I growled. I glanced quickly at my master to make sure he agreed. I knew he had never killed and never would, but I still wanted his permission for us to do so.

He gave me the slightest nod before saying, "Come on Yingzi," ad racing off together for the wolves' palace.

"Alright, let's go," I meowed determinedly, "But let's just attack as one. We can beat them," I insisted. Leading the charge, I yowled with fury, running as fast as I could towards the troops. They look prepared, but I launched myself high into the air, did a series of flips, and landed in the middle of the army, slashing and ducking to find the first in command. As usual, that was a good tactic to beat the enemy. Find out who's in charge and eliminate them. To my surprise, Tai Lung was at my back, defending me as if we were friends… I saw Monkey and Viper split off to work in a pair, moving like liquid to defeat the wolves. Crane flew over my head to snatch up a wolf who had tried to attack me from behind and thrust him into the air and kicked him far off. Xiongmeng, Po, and the emperor worked with a strange style that guarded each other and knocked the wolves out cold. The cheetah runners did a style I recognized from past battles where they raced up dirt clouds and attacked the blind wolves. Lucy and Jet fought separate, but as one, moving together, weapon flashing and slicing the wolves deep enough to send them running with howls of pain.

We fought for a while and ever so slowly, I was moving toward the alpha wolf. I was surprised it was a she, but the way she moved gave her rank away. Slipping between wolves, leaping, and kicking, breaking a couple jaws, I bounded over their heads and launched myself at the wolf. I suddenly saw a flash and flames erupted into the night. Master Shifu and Yingzi had done well. Then, to my surprise and dismay, I saw my father launch himself into the fray. He fought amazing, and I recognized the ruby red flash of another red panda beside him. That must be his wife. I didn't get a clear look at her, for I had to pay attention to the she-wolf I was fighting.

Snarling, I caught her off gaurd and tackled her into the fray of wolves. She ran immediately and I laughed in my mind at the coward. I chased her until we reached the river, and then a heavy weight landed on my back. Twisting quickly, I wrenched the forepaw of a wolf off my back and flipped him hard to the ground. A roar behind me made me aware of Tai Lung and I paused. Why did he follow me?

As he fought the male, I fought the female. She was clearly skilled, but I was better. Dodging her swipes and kicks, I flipped her by her foot and slammed a paw around her throat. I was about ready to punch her and knock her out cold, when I heard a piercing shriek. Straightening up, I felt mil surprise and rage as she slammed her feet into my stomach, sending me to the river coast. Pain washed over me as my temple slammed into rock and I briefly scented blood and heard Tai Lung before I blacked out.

"Tigress!" he yowled, but I could no longer hear him.

When I awoke, I felt slightly groggy and looked up to see Emperor Shan Hu's face. What had just happened? The battle was clearly over. Dang.

"You're awake my sister," he purred and I felt love radiate from him. What?

"What?" I yelped. How could this be? He was holding my pin from when I was so young and I gaped at him. He was my brother. Now, I remembered. I remembered the cry in my dreams…of my companion who fell behind when we were fleeing. He had never died. I had a brother. And he was the empeor.

"You're a princess?" Po nervously chuckled and I glared at him. Well, I guess he was right.

"Tigress…" Master Shifu trailed away and I rezlied this must have been just as big of a shock to him as me.

"You left the palace so many years ago. Why did you never try to come back or even tell me you were leaving?" he asked and I bristled slightly. We had been running from my parents' murders. He fell behind? Of course I couldn't tell him where I was going? I hadn't even known.

"It was an accident and I didn't even know what my home was called. How could it have been possible to come back?" I meowed, still feeling dazed from the head injury and this unexpected news.

"Will you come back to the palace with me?" he asked and I paused. His voice spoke of longing for the sister he had lost, but I couldn't do it. Besides, I had no intentions of ruling China. And this was my home now, with my friends, and my family.

"I'm sorry, but this is my home now," I politely declined, with only slight sadness that I would not be able to get to know him at least.

"I understand. If you ever need anything or just want to talk, you can send a messenger or come to visit if you like. I suppose I must get back to the palace now," he replied sadly. As he turned to leave and head back to his home, I watched him without regret. This is my family. I am home with them.

"We should probably visit the red panda village on the way home. There's a lot to fill each other in on too," Lucy murmured, glancing at me. Well, yes, I would like to know what had happened while I had been unconscious.

"Yeah, we should probably go," Ming Yue agreed and I looked at her. She was very pretty and I had the feeling we'd get along fine, just like I had with the kids.

On the way back, I walked beside Po as he told me how Master Shifu beat the lead wolf and her son, Yingzi became leader of the wolves, and Jet had been knocked out. Ah…that explained the scream.

As we reached the village, I saw that they were starting a party and I realized that the hostages must have brought the news of the wolves' defeat back to the village.

"Are they having a party?" Lucy gasped.

"I think they are," Jet affirmed.

"They're having a festival for us because we defeated the wolves," I confirmed too and thought a moment before adding, "Shifu, you might want to lose the act disguise." I was amazed how he could pull it off, but then again, I had known him since I was a kit. Of course he would still have been familiar to me, disguise or not.

As he left, I went with the rest of the Furious Five, Tai Lung, Ming Yue, Lucy, Jet, and Po to go enjoy the festival. The red pandas of the village had more red than Shifu, and I wondered at how quickly and efficiently they had managed to set this festival up. Eventually, we found the food stalls that they had set up and sat down at a table to wait for my father. It was not long before he returned, looking normal, and with Xiongmeng and Yingzi. They must have momentarily returned.

"You guys are staying?" Ming Yue asked.

"Defintely," Xiongmeng replied.

"This whole place seems like a picnic area with food stalls," Yingzi commented and I noticed that was indeed what it looked like.

"Bet 'ya Shifu can eat more moon cakes than you," Xiongmeng whispered and I flicked my ears with surprise. He hardly ate anything that I noticed…and he was so small.

"No, we're not starting that again!" Yingzi loudly protested and whacked him over the head with a large paw as I snickered quietly. He was funny when he was angry.

"What happened?" Po asked.

"Shifu won and Yingzi threw up," Xiongmeng replied and then howled with laughter. Yingzi glared at him before tipping over his chair, sending the rhino tumbling to the ground. He growled at Yingzi and righted his chair, but before he could pound the wolf, he yelped.

"Xiongmeng, you lost too," he protested. What, so had this been a competiton between all the students of the Jade Palace? Somehow, it was hard to imagine them all as young teens of however old they had been, doing such weird things.

"I won against Shifu," Ming Yue smiled and I glanced surprised at her.

"And you'll never guess who beat us all," Xiongmeng said, snorting with laughter. Well, that was easy. The only student left was Baihehua.

"Baihehua?" I guessed.

"No," he slowly said, and I regretted bringing up the painful subject.

"Oogway," Master Shifu smirked and I gaped at him. The wise old turtle had won a moon cake eating competition among his students?

"Awesome," Po laughed.

"And we're not doing it again," the wolf growled.

"Scaredy-pup," Xiongmeng teased. Wow, even now, those two were hilariously immature.

"Am not!" he squealed and we all laughed. The tone of a full-grown wolf sounding like that was just funny.

"Am too!"

"Am not!"

"Am too!"

"I know you are, but what am I?"

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Sarcasm, Yingzi, sarcasm."

"How does that fit into our conversation?"

"I was saying really as in did you really just say that? It's the oldest insult in the book."

"What book?"

"The one the insult is in."

"…"

"Scaredy-pup."

"AM NOT!"

I couldn't help laughing as their progression just grew worse and worse. Finally, Po broke in the argument.

"Can we get food now?" he asked.

"Sure," they stopped their argument, but Yingzi still punched Xiongmeng lightly when the rhino was not looking.

We visited different stalls, trying the different dishes, and I found them amazingly good. We talked awhile and listened to Yingzi and Xiongmeng banter back and forth again.

"I still think we should have a moon cake competition," Xiongmeng remarked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because I said so."

"Nobody cares."

"I do."

"You don't count."

"Why not?"

"Because. So are we going to have a moon cake eating contest?" Xiongmeng addressed the whole table, but Yingzi was the only one who replied.

"No. We've already eaten anyway," he growled.

"Shh," Ming Yue hissed and for the first time, I noticed that the red pandas had prepared for a dance.

"Do you want to dance?" Tai Lung asked me and I started with surprise. Why would he ask me? I didn't like him in the least, and it was becoming more clear that Lucy did. Then again, I thought, it wasn't height practical that they dance.

"No," I growled determinedly. I was not budging from this spot.

"I challenge you to dance," he insisted and I bristled. How did he know I could not resist a challenge?

"Fine," I groaned, and got up with him. I felt no love towards him, but I found I did like it as his gentle strength propelled me in a rhythmic dance with him. It was only a short while that we danced when I realized the footfalls of many had stopped. Turning around and pausing from our dance, I saw something amazing. Master Shifu and Ming Yue were dancing beautifully, twirling and weaving in and out in a continuous dance that seemed like kung fu. They were amazing together and when they swirled to a halt, I cheered for them along with the others. That was truly awesome.

Next, the fireworks began and I sat down next to Po as we all watched the fireworks. I didn't know if he wanted to be more than friends, and I wasn't sure I wanted it too, but it was nice to sit with the gentle panda.

"What is it?" Po asked and I turned to him in surprise, only to find he was addressing Master Shifu. Curious, I saw his gaze was not on the fireworks, but on the opposite end of the sky.

"What is what?" he irritably asked.

"What are you looking at?" he continued.

"Well technically he can't look at anything," Xiongmeng replied and I stared at him with confusion.

"What do you mean?" I growled.

"Well you know he can't see," he snapped back and I yelped.

"What?" I gasped. How was this possible? I had know my father for twenty years. How could he be blind?


	15. Home

All of us sat in an awkward silence as I realized just how much I didn't know about my master and father.

"Oh no, you didn't tell them…?" Xiongmeng suddenly realized why we were all so surprised.

"Really, you think so?" Master Shifu growled at him.

"Shifu…" I couldn't find the words for what I wanted to say. I had so many questions. Why had he never trusted us enough to tell us?

"Can I say something?" Po started.

"No!" I growled. Knowing him, it would probably be something totally off topic or really weird. We did not need this now.

"Hey, cool it!" Monkey snapped and I bared my teeth at him, lashing my tail back and forth angrily. At least he had the sense to flinch away from me after that comment.

"Stop fighting! Both of you be quiet, sit still, and watch the fireworks!" Yingzi snarled. He looked absolutely furious and remembering the ferocity at which wolves could suddenly turn to, I decided it was probably for the best to keep quiet now.

The fireworks were amazing and I felt myself relaxing as I stared at the ever-changing colors and patterns. I truly loved these beautiful light shows.

There was a sudden yelp and I turned to see Master Shifu covered in snow. I couldn't help letting out a snort of laughter at his ridiculous expression before turning to watch the fireworks again.

As they ended with a beautiful red and yellow flower-like burst, fading into orange and pink smaller ones, I saw an old red panda shuffle up to us. What did he want?

"My name is Hong Yan. My wife and I would be honored if you would stay the night at our home. There's a large upstairs attic that would serve as a bedroom," he announced and I glanced at my master, expecting his answer.

"Thank you. We accept your offer," he politely returned, and then Yingzi spoke.

"Thanks for having us, but we got to go if we want to get home by tomorrow," he said and I decided I would miss his presence, but his duties were calling him.

"Bye," Xiongmeng rumbled and after we all said good bye to them both, they left.

After they left, we followed Hong Yan to his house and got settled in. I sat with Po, Tai Lung, Lucy, and Jet, guessing the others were tired and Ming Yue and Master Shifu would want to be alone together.

Po began to animatedly recall the fight and Tai Lung told me more of what happened when I was unconscious. Lucy and Jet were absolutely thrilled to be included in our talking, and began to describe their parts in the fight.

Eventually, we got tired and went to sleep, and I felt satisfied for the first time in a while.

The couple day journey wasn't as long as before, when we were in a much better mood and amongst friends. It was near the end though when I sensed Jet's worry and he came over to us.

"Luc believes someone is following us," he murmured worriedly and I stiffened. Could there still be more enemies in wait for us right now?

"I'll go check on her," Master Shifu said and left.

When he came back, I could tell he was confused, but all he said was,"She said she must have been mistaken."

This was very strange as I would not expect that of her, but I guess everyone makes mistakes. As we slowly approached the Jade Palace, Po sighed, "Finally."

The inhabitants of the Valley of Peace shied away from Tai Lung and I knew some of them still remembered the day when he had attacked them.

"I will not harm you. You have my word that the Valley of Peace will not suffer from my return," he promised and I could tell he was determined to keep it. As we reached our home, up the many steps to the palace, Master Shifu spoke.

"Ming Yue and I believe you are ready to be masters." I felt a little thrill as I remembered the day when I had been dubbed a master and had received my master name. Lucy and Jet were certainly deserving of it.

"Thank you," Lucy said and as they both stood in front of the doors to the Jade Palace, I felt surprised as Shifu spoke again.

"You too Tai Lung." Then I remembered he had not been made a master before he was put in captivity. I had mixed feelings about this, but he had proved himself and it seemed if he had wanted to betray us, he would already have.

"Ming Yue, you have trained these two, do you believe Lucy and Jet are ready to be proclaimed masters, and they have had satisfactory learning, though they will always continue to learn?" Master Shifu addressed her.

"Yes," she answered.

"Tai Lung is ready, for he has always done what he thought was right," Master Shifu continued and I looked at him with surprise at his words. Of all the people to say that, I would not expect it from him.

"Thank you…" he trailed off.

In this meaningful ceremony, in the light of the sun, all three were named masters. Tai Lung was Master Snow Claw, Jet was Master Jade Stone, and Lucy was Master Gold Dawn. I had been named years ago as Master Amber Fire and I could feel their pride in this unique moment.

As my family and I stood there, in the home where we belonged, I felt peace had come. We were one.


End file.
